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EN LEE GOSS 





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COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 




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the boys' life of 
General Sheridan 



BY 

WARREN LEE GOSS 

AUTHOR OF "LIFE OF GRANT," "jED," " TOM CLIFTON," 
"jack ALDEN," "in THE NAVY," ETC. 



"A brief life has been allotted to us by nature; but the 
memory of a well-spent life is imperishable. "—Cicero. 



NEW YORK 

THOMAS Y. CROWELL COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS 



Copyright, 1913, 
By THOMAS Y. CROWELL COMPANY. 



DCI.A35 08 35 
*4t 



J 



DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF 

MY WIFE 






./ 



PREFACE 

The battle of Booneville, in which Philip Sheridan, 
as colonel of the Second Michigan Cavalry, won the 
first of those brilliant victories that thrilled the nation 
and made his name immortal, was fought just fifty-one 
years ago this July. The author's main purpose in 
preparing this work has been to commemorate by 
means of it the life and career of the skillful soldier 
and great general whose series of military triumphs 
began on that comparatively unknown field. 

Not only does the history of such a life, so signally 
devoted to patriotic service in the way of leadership on 
the great battlefields of our Civil War, serve as an in- 
spiration for every American boy and girl, but it sup- 
plies a noble example of the opportunities offered to 
poor boys under a government of the people. In re- 
calling Sheridan's early years, one is again struck by 
the fact that Providence, in selecting the great leaders 
for establishing more firmly a government of the peo- 
ple, did not seek them among the rich and powerful, 
but among the poor and humble. It took Lincoln, the 
son of an illiterate backwoodsman; Grant, the son of 
a tanner; Sherman, the poor orphan lad; and Sheri- 
dan, the son of an Irish immigrant laborer, to lead the 
hosts of the people to victory and to establish liberty 
on broader foundations. 



vi PREFACE 

In the preparation of the material for this book tfie 
author has consulted among other authorities : " The 
History of the Civil War in America," by Comte de 
Paris; Swinton's "Army of the Potomac"; "The 
Shenandoah Valley," by George E. Pond; " Personal 
Memoirs of Philip Henry Sheridan " ; " Battles and 
Leaders of the Civil War"; and "The Story of the 
Soldier " and " Thrilling Days of Army Life," by Gen- 
eral George E. Forsyth. Of greatest help in securing 
vivid impressions of the events described have been 
the personal recollections of comrades who served 
under Sheridan and participated in his victories. It 
is the author's sincere hope that he has succeeded in 
bringing before his readers' mental vision a realistic 
view of the various scenes in which this leader of con- 
quering armies had a part in the drama of the War 
for the Union. 

W. L. G. 

New York City, 
July 1, 1913. 



CONTENTS 



I. In School and at Work . . 
II. Fighting the Indians . . . 

III. A Talk about War .... 

IV. Sheridan at the Opening of the 

Civil War 

V. The Battle of Perryville . 

VI. The Battle of Stone River . 

VII. Drilling and Campaigning . 

VIII. The Battle of Chickamauga 

IX. Sheridan at Chattanooga . 

X. The Relief of Knoxville . 

XI. Sheridan Made Commander of 

Cavalry in the Army of the 

Potomac 

XII. Fighting in the Wilderness . . 

XIII. Sheridan's Raid around Lee . 

XIV. The Fight for Cold Harbor . 
XV. Breaking Lee's Communications 

XVI. Sheridan Leads an Army into the 

Shenandoah Valley . . 

XVII. Sending the Enemy Whirling 

XVIII. The Battle of Fisher's Hill 

XIX. Laying Waste the Valley . 

XX. The Battle of Cedar Creek and 

Sheridan's Ride 



i 
14 
30 

40 

53 
62 

74 

84 

95 

109 



118 
130 

140 
152 
159 

170 
182 
192 
203 

212 



Vlll 



CONTENTS 



XXI. Sheridan Rejoins Grant . . 
XXII. The Battle of Five Forks . 

XXIII. The Battle of Sailor's Creek 

XXIV. The End of the Confederacy 
XXV. Sheridan vs. Louis Napoleon 

XXVI. Sheridan and Reconstruction 
XXVII. Campaigning against the Indians 
XXVIII. Sheridan Views the Franco-Prus- 
sian War 

XXIX. Sheridan's Busy Life in Time of 

Peace 

XXX. The General Receives Final 
Marching Orders 



PAGE 
225 
232 
244 

251 
259 
265 
274 

288 

300 

3IO 



ILLUSTRATIONS 



General Philip H. Sheridan . . . Frontispiece " 

OPPOSITE PAGE 

General Lyon at the Battle of Wilson's 

Creek 28 

Field of Operations of Army of the West 

(Map) 42 

Getting behind the Enemy 50 

The Theater of War in Kentucky and Ten- 
nessee (Map) 56 - 

The Battle of Stone River 70 > 

The Battle of Chickamauga 90 v 

Fighting in the Wilderness 136 ^ 

Death of General Stuart 144 / 

Sheridan's Cavalry before Richmond . . . 148 

Behind the Entrenchments, Cold Harbor . 156 

The Shenandoah Valley (Map) . . . . 170 v 

Plan of Battle of the Opequan (Map) . . 184 S 

Plan of Battle of Fisher's Hill (Map) . . 192 "^ 

The Assault on Flint Hill 196 * 

Plan of Battle of Cedar Creek (Map) . . 220 »/ 

Sheridan as a Major-General 224 v 

Sheridan at Five Forks 242 v 

Custer Charging the Enemy 252 

The Pony Express 280^' 



A Sioux War-Party 308 

A Memorable Gathering of Army Officers . 314 

ix 



The Boys' Life of General 
Sheridan 



CHAPTER I 

IN SCHOOL AND AT WORK 

Philip Henry Sheridan, who became one of the 
greatest generals in the War for the Union, was the 
son of John Sheridan, an Irish immigrant, who early 
in life had married a beautiful and capable girl of 
the County of Cavan, where they were both born. 
John Sheridan was a farmer and held a small lease- 
hold, which he sold to obtain the money with which to 
seek a new home in the promised land to which so 
many of his countrymen had preceded him. Before 
leaving Ireland the Sheridans had two children, a son 
Patrick, and a daughter who died on shipboard dur- 
ing their passage to Quebec, Canada. 

The Sheridan family arrived at Quebec in 1829, 
and from there went to St. John, New Brunswick; 
then to Portland, Maine; and thence to Albany, N. Y., 
where a Mr. Gainor, an uncle of John Sheridan, was 
living, and where they hoped for greater prosperity 
than they had hitherto been able to find. It was in 

1 



2 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

Albany, March 6, 1831, that Philip Sheridan, the 
future general, was born. 

The prospect of obtaining a living in Albany not 
proving as encouraging as he had expected, John 
Sheridan with his little family moved to Ohio, where 
plenty of land was to be had at a low price. He settled 
in the town of Somerset, Perry County, where Mrs. 
Sheridan had relatives. Here Philip was reared and 
lived until he went to the Military Academy at West 
Point. Here, also, three more children were born to 
the Irish couple : a daughter Mary, and two sons, 
John L. and M. V. Sheridan, the latter a captain in the 
Union army during the Civil War. 

Ohio was then the " Far West," a wilderness broken 
only here and there by an occasional settlement. The 
vast country beyond the Alleghanies was just being 
opened to emigration. The condition of the little Irish 
family was rough, as was also the condition of most 
of the people there, though the Sheridans, being late 
comers and very poor, had a little rougher time than 
their neighbors. But these primitive conditions de- 
veloped brawn and manhood, stimulated the energies 
of the settlers and their children, and helped to make 
Ohio fruitful in great men, like Grant, Sherman, and 
Sheridan. It is not luxury and wealth that develop 
mind or body, and those who have them are not the 
quickest to seize great opportunities. Comparative 
poverty with a fair field for effort and ambition makes 
the bravest men and women. Ambition, like appetite, 
is stimulated by sparseness, not by luxury; great op- 
portunities are often neglected by those who have 



IN SCHOOL AND AT WORK 3 

many advantages, while those who have few hungrily 
seize them. 

Somerset was then, and still is, a quaint little town 
with a square, around which are stores and shops and 
from which four roads stretch out into the country, 
with houses scattered here and there. The march of 
improvements in these days seems to have missed 
Somerset, leaving it in its primitive quaintness. Old 
landmarks that were there when young Sheridan went 
to school still stand in all their old simplicity. The 
weather-beaten Court House — for at that time it 
was the county seat — still bears the touch of the 
early Irish settlers in an inscripion over its portals, 
which reads : " Let Justice be done if the Heavens 
fall," — which comes pretty near being an Irish 
bull. 

The home of the Sheridans was that of a laboring 
man. The main building consisted of three rooms 
and was about half a mile from the village, on what 
was known as Happy Alley, where a few other small 
houses were scattered. There was an open prospect 
of fields and woods, and half a mile away on the left, 
over an orchard, could be seen St. Mary's Female 
Academy, established in 1830 by a bishop of the 
Roman Catholic Church. 

John Sheridan, though not well-to-do, was able by 
economy and industry to give his children most of the 
advantages of that country and time. While at work 
on the Cumberland or National Road, then being 
built, he was encouraged to put in a bid for a contract. 
As this was successful, it led to his making other bids 



4 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

and finally to his taking up contracting as a business, 
which he followed for several years. 

The mother was regarded by all her neighbors as a 
remarkable woman. She had excellent common sense, 
and was clear-headed, resourceful, honest, and in- 
dustrious. She taught her children to work, and they 
were as well dressed and as well mannered as those 
of any of her neighbors. As the business of the father 
called him away from home much of the time, the 
management and training of the children fell upon 
her. It was generally agreed by Mrs. Sheridan's 
neighbors that from her Philip derived those forceful 
and remarkable qualities that made him one of the 
greatest soldiers of his time. 

When old enough Philip was sent to school. There 
were then no such common schools as boys and girls 
who read this book attend. The one to which young 
Sheridan went was taught by an itinerant Irish school- 
master named McNally, who received about three 
dollars a term for each pupil, and the additional com- 
pensation of " boarding round " among the families 
of his pupils, changing his boarding-place whenever 
it suited his fancy or convenience to do so. McNally, 
like most of the schoolmasters of the period, held 
strongly to the belief and practice that the rod was a 
very important aid and supplement to learning. It 
was said that when he was unable to detect the 
offender in any breach of school discipline, he reached 
the culprit by whipping the whole school. This Irish 
pedagogue was as capricious in his manner as he was 
unique in his methods. At one time he might be 



IN SCHOOL AND AT WORK 5 

stormy, scolding and whipping without much provoca- 
tion, and at another all smiles and sweetness, tolerant 
of any mischief. It was said that Phil caught the 
extremes of both moods; for as the master was very 
fond of the lad, he treated him to both sweet and 
bitter as his moods changed. 

One of the advantages which the master had in 
boarding around, and especially of coming unex- 
pectedly to the new place, was in often learning things 
that his pupils would gladly have concealed. At one 
time, when he unexpectedly came to board at the 
Sheridans', he anxiously inquired, " How is Phil get- 
ting on, Mrs. Sheridan?" 

" And why should you ask, Mr. McNally, when he 
has been in your school every day." 

" But Phil hasn't been to school for two or three 
days and I surely was told, as coming from you, that 
he was sick in bed." 

Thus was revealed the fact that while Mrs. Sheridan 
thought her boy was engaged in devouring " book 
learning," and the master thought he was at home 
sick, Phil, playing truant, was off fishing and swim- 
ming, or some other vagrant mischief. For this Phil 
received an extra dose of whippings, one from his 
mother and another from his teacher; and they were 
richly deserved, however unpleasant to the little 
fellow. 

While his teacher had a kindly feeling for the little 
Irish lad, for in the main he was a good boy and 
learned his lessons, he had other favorites. One of 
these was a boy named Home, with whom — for some 



6 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

cause, possibly from jealousy of the master's greater 
favor, Phil had quarreled. It was during recess when 
the quarrel came to a climax in a pugilistic encounter, 
in which young Sheridan gave his antagonist a severe 
beating. With tearful face and bloody nose young 
Home went with angry complaint to the master. 
Seizing one of the biggest of his collection of sticks, 
McNally sallied forth to punish Phil. The young 
culprit was seated on the top of a fence when he saw 
the master coming, and more than mistrusting that 
trouble was impending, fled as fast as his legs could 
carry him, the master in hot and close pursuit. 

" Come back, you rascal ! " cried the master. But 
Phil, never heeding, with many twists and turns led 
the chase into the heart of the village, among the shops 
and stores. His pursuer was close upon him, when the 
fugitive rushed through the open door of the tin shop 
of his friend, Sam Cassell. 

" Hide me, Sam," he cried, " the master is after 
me ! " Sam was working on a big copper kettle, and 
this he quickly lifted and the boy darted under it. 
When McNally rushed in, Sam was pounding at the 
rivets as coolly as though there was no boy under the 
kettle. 

" Where's that rogue of a boy ? " breathlessly cried 
the master. Sam made a motion with his hand to- 
ward another door, and went calmly on pounding at 
the rivets. The master searched in vain and had to 
go back to school without seizing the offender. 

When Phil thought the master had had time to cool 
off, he walked into the school-room and went to his 



IN SCHOOL AND AT WORK 7 

desk, and the master never mentioned the chase or the 
threatened punishment. This shows that young Sher- 
idan, at even that early age, knew when to advance 
as well as when to beat a retreat. 

Under this capricious master, and another named 
Thorn, the boy studied arithmetic, grammar, history, 
geography, reading, and writing, and had no other 
schooling until just before entering the West Point 
Military Academy. 

Those who knew the boy at that time agree that 
though perfectly fearless, he was not quarrelsome; 
but it made no difference how big the boy, or man, 
who attempted to impose upon him, or his friends, 
he at once got into trouble, and this disposition led the 
future general into many a fight. But fist fights, 
even among grown men and in public places, were a 
very common thing in those pioneer times. We take 
our justice and our exercise separately in these days. 

Phil was an odd-looking boy, having a large head 
covered with a crop of brown hair, a long body, short 
bow legs, and long arms. When other boys made fun 
of his odd looks, the high-spirited lad would resent 
the impertinence with his fists. This led to so many 
encounters that it is said he whipped every boy of his 
size in town, and some few larger than himself. The 
townspeople of Somerset were afterwards fond of 
talking about the prowess of their hero, when he be- 
came famous, and maybe they exaggerated a bit. 

At an early age young Sheridan showed his desire 
to be a soldier. Supplied with a bright tin sword by 
his friend, Sam Casell, he organized the boys into a 



8 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

company and trained them in crude boy manner. But 
the company usually broke up in mutiny, because all 
of the other boys wanted to be captain too, and this 
did not suit the little fellow who wanted to command 
them. 

At fourteen years of age Phil left school and went 
to work dealing out sugar, flour, and calico in the store 
of a Mr. John Talbert, who for this service was to pay 
him twenty-four dollars a year, with the privilege of 
sleeping under the counter, as was the custom with 
clerks of Somerset. Here he made such a reputation 
for energy and exactness that at the expiration of his 
year he was offered a position at sixty dollars a year 
in the country store of David Whitehead. Before his 
year was up, the enterprising firm of Fink and Dittoe, 
drygoods merchants, made him an offer of one hun- 
dred and twenty dollars a year for his services. With 
the consent and advice of Mr. Whitehead he accepted 
the position. In those days and at that place, this 
was a large salary for a boy, though measured by the 
standards of to-day it was a small one. 

The principal duties of his new position were keep- 
ing the books of the firm, which was no small task 
where the business was conducted on the credit system ; 
for the farmers, who were the principal customers, 
paid for their purchases only when their crops were 
harvested and sold, and even then often settled by 
giving a note. This shows that young Sheridan was 
exact and honest and had gained a reputation for 
honesty and intelligence. 

The stores of Somerset, especially during the even- 



IN SCHOOL AND AT WORK 9 

ings, were gathering places for the men. Seated on 
the counters and boxes they debated public questions, 
and not only the affairs of the neighborhood, but 
those of the State and Nation, were criticised and, in 
the minds of the debaters, settled. Young Sheridan 
had employed his leisure with such good results that he 
was an authority in statistics and history, and was 
chosen to arbitrate the disputes that arose in these 
rural congresses. 

At that time the Mexican War was being fought 
and its battles and marches were a never ceasing theme 
of talk and discussion. This so increased young Sher- 
idan's desire to be a soldier that he would have enlisted 
had he been old enough. When he learned about the 
Military Academy at West Point, it became the height 
of his ambition to go there. Among those who some- 
times came to the store was Mr. Thomas Ritchey, the 
Representative to Congress from that district, and 
Phil made his acquaintance. It did not seem possible 
to the young book-keeper that he could ever go to 
West Point; but when he learned that the boy who 
had been appointed from that district had failed in 
his examinations, he at once resolved to try for it. 
He wrote to Mr. Ritchey asking for the appointment. 
Without doubt the Representative had received other 
applications, backed by strong influences, for such 
appointments do not go begging in Ohio. But the 
letter of the little Irish boy was so well written and 
so manly that it appealed to Mr. Ritchey, and so, 
though not accompanied with any recommendations, 
he determined to appoint the writer. Fearing that 



io BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

pressure would be put upon him to cause him to change 
his mind, he went that day to the War Department 
and had the warrant made out, and sent to young 
Sheridan the appointment for the class of 1849. 

Upon receiving this warrant Sheridan set resolutely 
at work to prepare for the preliminary examination 
that precedes admission, under the direction of a Mr. 
Clark as his tutor; for his old teacher had departed to 
other fields, after the manner of itinerant teachers of 
that time. The months of preparation quickly passed. 
Sheridan had studied hard and was encouraged to be- 
lieve that he could pass his examination for admission, 
though that which was to follow gave him much 
anxiety and many sleepless nights. Among the quali- 
fications specified was the possession, by the candidate, 
of a pair of Munroe shoes, and no one in Somerset 
seemed to know what kind of shoes they were. 
Finally, to his relief, he learned that those shoes were 
a common pattern with a new or unfamiliar name. 

On his way to West Point Sheridan stopped over 
at Albany to visit his father's uncle, and from there 
went down the Hudson River to the Military 
Academy. In a few days the examinations began, 
and to his joy he passed without serious difficulty; 
though he came near being rejected on account of his 
peculiar physical make-up, of which I have previously 
spoken. Considering his early lack of opportunities 
for education, he had reason to be proud of his success. 
There were many bright boys in his class, and among 
them several, including Slocumb, Stanley, and Crook, 
who became generals during the Civil War. As a new 



IN SCHOOL AND AT WORK n 

cadet he had to pass through a vexatious course of 
hazing, to which newcomers are subjected by usage 
handed down from class to class. He took the ordeal 
without undue injury, though it must have been try- 
ing to his hot temper. 

Though he had come through the preliminary ex- 
aminations with fair success, he knew that the coming 
January examinations would be so much more severe 
that he trembled lest he might fail in them. He knew 
but little algebra and nothing of the other higher 
branches of mathematics. He resolved, however, with 
his usual stubborn pluck, to wrestle as hard as he 
could, and if he failed it should not be for lack of 
effort. 

He was fortunate in having for his room-mate 
Henry W. Slocumb, one of the brightest boys of his 
class, and afterwards distinguished as a general. 
After " taps," when lights were supposed to be ex- 
tinguished, he would darken the windows of his room 
with a blanket and, under the guidance of his room- 
mate, continue his studies far into the night. When 
the time came he went before the Board and passed 
the examination, which shows what pluck and in- 
dustry can do. This success gave him confidence that 
he would be able to graduate with tolerable credit. 

Cadet Sheridan passed through his first two years 
successfully, and then came his furlough, or vaca- 
tion, when he went home to Somerset, taking with 
him two classmates, one of whom, Crook, afterwards 
served under him as a general during the War. Of 
course he was the hero of the little village for a time, 



12 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

and there are many traditions there of him during his 
vacation summer. It is said that he thrashed a local 
lawyer, twice as large as himself, for making unpleas- 
ant remarks about his father and mother. 

He returned to the Military Academy with the ex- 
pectation of graduating with the class of 1852, but fate, 
or the boy's peppery temper, set him back a year. In 
September, 1851, while his company was forming for 
drill, Cadet Tirrell had ordered him, in such an insult- 
ing manner, to " dress " that Sheridan's Irish temper 
got the best of his discretion, and he started with low- 
ered bayonet to prod the offender, but recovered his 
senses in time to save himself from an unpardonable 
breach of military discipline. A cadet at West Point 
is, to all intents, a soldier, and must obey the order of 
his superior, no matter how it is given. Tirrell re- 
ported young Sheridan, at which, he, still more indig- 
nant, again attacked Tirrell with his fists, in front of 
the barracks, and if all reports are true gave him a 
good beating. 

At that time the boys from the South were the rul- 
ing element in the Academy, and no doubt their 
superior airs and manners had, before this occurrence, 
offended the more democratic Irish lad, reared in a 
different social atmosphere. An officer of the 
Academy parted the contestants while fighting. Each 
of them handed in an explanation, but as Phil admitted 
that he was the attacking party he was suspended for a 
year by the Secretary of War. He would have been 
disgracefully discharged, but that the Superintendent, 
on account of his previous good record recommended 



IN SCHOOL AND AT WORK 13 

otherwise. So, while there was no doubt about 
Tirrell's insulting manner, it was not for a cadet to 
punish him for it. 

Very much crestfallen and humbled, Phil Sheridan 
returned to his home. His humiliation would have 
been still harder to bear but for the fact that his 
former employers, Fink and Dittoe, were glad to 
secure his services as a book-keeper during the year 
of his disgrace. 

In August, 1852, he joined the graduating class at 
the Academy, taking his place at the foot of his class 
and graduating with it in the following June. His 
standing was thirty- four in a class of fifty-two mem- 
bers, among whom were the brilliant James B. 
McPherson, who, as a major-general, was killed be- 
fore Atlanta; John M. Schofield, afterwards a dis- 
tinguished general during that war; and John B. 
Hood, who commanded the Confederate army at 
Atlanta during Sherman's campaign before it, and 
other distinguished soldiers. So, considering his dis- 
advantages of early education, he did pretty well in 
competition with such brilliant students. 

At the close of his final examination Sheridan was 
appointed a brevet second lieutenant of the First 
Infantry and received his commission in July, 1853. 
He was well pleased to graduate, and set his face 
resolutely to the future; and though he had no sus- 
picion of the high destinies that fate had reserved for 
him, he looked forward to military life with pleasant 
anticipations. 



CHAPTER II 



FIGHTING THE INDIANS 



We have seen how well young Philip Sheridan 
used his opportunities to secure an education, and we 
know what a great general he became later; but most 
men have to serve a kind of apprenticeship in obscure 
work to show whether they are fit for great places. 
And now comes such a period in the life of our hero. 

The young people of this generation know little of 
war except as they read of it; but the books tell you 
that from the earliest settlement until very recently 
there was never a generation that did not see real war. 
Our fathers could only protect their rights by fighting 
the French on the north, the Spanish on the south, the 
English from over-seas, and the Indians all the time 
and everywhere. As the white man's frontier pushed 
westward, it was always against hostile Indians. 
After the discovery of gold in California there were 
two frontiers pressing in on the Indians, until they 
made their last stand among the fastnesses of the 
Rocky Mountains. 

Sheridan was too young to have taken any part in 
the Mexican War, where so many officers of the 
Civil War got their military experience; but he was 1 
in time for what was nearly the last Indian wars, 
and it was with the aboriginal people, making almost 

14 



FIGHTING THE INDIANS 15 

their last stand on their native soil, that he got his 
chance to show his mettle. 

Our people have always objected to a large standing 
army, and the few regiments we had, before the Civil 
War, were scattered far and wide over the country, 
some doing. garrison duty at the various forts and 
some out on the plains guarding the frontiers from 
Indian attacks. When young Cadet Sheridan of the 
Military Academy became Lieutenant Sheridan of the 
regular army he, with his love of adventure, probably 
thanked his stars that he was detailed to duty on the 
frontiers rather than at some peaceful Eastern 
garrison. 

If you wish to follow him to his first post of duty, 
you would better get out your maps, for it is a 
roundabout course to follow. Bear in mind that this 
was before the days of transcontinental railways, and 
a person going from the eastern to the western sea- 
board either crawled over the desert and mountains 
for months in an ox-cart, or went slowly down to the 
Isthmus of Panama and up the Pacific coast in a 
sailing vessel. If on land, he stopped when he was 
hungry, kindled a fire, and cooked his own meals. 
When night came he slept in the cart or on the ground. 
But this rough life was probably just what a handy 
fellow like young Sheridan would like. 

After a furlough of three months at home, he 
started to join his company at Fort Duncan on the 
river Rio Grande, in Texas. He journeyed down the 
Ohio and Mississippi rivers, across the Gulf of 
Mexico by steamer, and then by an inland route to 



16 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

Corpus Christi, the heaquarters of the Department of 
Texas. Here he met several of his West Point 
acquaintances, among them Jerome Napoleon Bon- 
aparte, who afterwards accepted a commission in the 
Imperial Army of France. Here he took an army 
wagon train to Laredo, one hundred and sixty miles 
from Corpus Christi, enjoying by the way the novelty 
of seeing huge flocks of geese and ducks, herds of 
antelopes, wild mules, horses with waving manes, and 
some with tails that almost swept the ground. At 
night he spread his blanket on the grass, and slept 
beneath the stars as only tired boys can sleep. From 
Laredo a six-mule team took him to Fort Duncan, 
which he reached March, 1854. 

This fort was intended as a protection against 
Indians, and shortly after his arrival Sheridan was 
sent on scouting duty against them. On these tours 
of duty he made surveys and maps of the country, 
and picked up a little Spanish from his Mexican guide. 
From one of his soldiers who was an accomplished 
hunter he learned to approach game, which was 
abundant, and to dress and care for it. He soon be- 
came so skilled in hunting that he was able to supply 
the garrison so abundantly with wild turkey, geese, 
antelope, and deer, that the beef contractor became 
angry because there was no demand for his meat. 
At one time, while out hunting, he located by a column 
of smoke some hostile Indians of whom a company, 
commanded by Captain Van Buren, was in pursuit. 
That officer, thus set upon the lost trail, pursued the 
Indians until they, exhausted, halted on the open plain 



FIGHTING THE INDIANS 17 

and gave battle. Both Van Buren and the Indian 
chief were killed in the battle and the rest of the 
savages ran away. 

When the time came to go into winter quarters, the 
officers, living in tents, were made uncomfortable by 
the cold winds, called " Northers." Our young 
lieutenant made himself more comfortable by building 
himself a hut of poles set into the ground around a 
small square, over which he pitched a roof, of poles 
thatched with prairie grass. The ground inside was 
leveled for a floor, and a fireplace of stone cemented 
with mud was built in one corner. The furniture con- 
sisted of a bureau, a chair, and a few camp stools, 
and a washstand made by setting four sticks into the 
ground and nailing a piece of board on top of them. 
This top cost him more than all the rest of the 
furniture, since the only board to be had was from 
boxes in which their bacon came, and these were 
reserved to make coffins for the dead. In this rude 
hut he spent a comfortable winter and no doubt 
enjoyed it more than he did the most luxurious 
quarters afterwards. 

During the winter their recreations were dancing, 
and horse-back riding, varied by an occasional swoop 
around their garrison of the Indians. During one of 
these raids the Indians killed a boy who had formerly 
been a drummer but who, at his discharge, had turned 
herdsman. They found him filled with arrows, but 
he had made a brave fight before being overcome; 
for near him were two Indians whom he had killed, 
and it was afterwards learned that he killed and 



18 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

wounded others before he fell. These Indians were 
pursued, but they fled across the river and could not 
be taken there, as it was on Mexican territory. Such 
were the scenes on the frontiers where our young 
officer began his career as a soldier. 

In November Sheridan was transferred to the 
Fourth Infantry, then scattered among various stations 
in California and Oregon. Returning to New York, 
he joined a few recruits that had been gathered on 
Bedloe's Island, where the Statue of Liberty now 
stands at the entrance of the harbor. He then made 
the voyage to San Francisco, by the way of Panama, 
and joined his company at Fort Reading, California. 
Here he was ordered to relieve Lieutenant Hood 
(afterwards a Confederate general), who had already 
started ahead as an escort of Lieutenant Wilkinson, 
who was surveying a route for a railroad to connect 
the Sacremento Valley with the Columbia River in 
Oregon. 

The country to be traversed was infested by Pitt 
Indians, a wretched lot of hungry savages who would 
kill a man for a few mouthfuls of food and his 
blanket. The streams where they had caught fish for 
their food had been contaminated by the miners, so 
that there were but few fish to be caught and the 
Indians were both hungry and desperate. The com- 
mander hesitated to let him go on such a perilous de- 
tail, but Sheridan insisted, and with an escort of three 
men fearlessly started out to overtake the surveying 
party. 

The first day out he came upon one of the members 



FIGHTING THE INDIANS 19 

of the expedition, who on account of illness had been 
left at a hunter's hut. This man urged that he was 
well enough to join the party, and Sheridan took him 
along; but before the day's journey was over he gave 
out, and was left behind with one of the party to care 
for him. So, instead of gaining a recruit for his 
party, Sheridan had lost one. 

During the following day, hearing voices ahead of 
him, our young lieutenant surely thought he was near 
the surveying party. But on cautiously approaching, 
in the direction of the voices, he found it was a party 
of Pitt Indians. They were following the trail of the 
surveying party. Sheridan followed them cautiously 
for several days, during which he crossed the lava 
beds afterwards made famous during the Modoc War. 

At last they came to the beautiful valley of Hat 
Creek, where luxuriant grass and wild flowers 
abounded. Here, following the trail, he was soon 
right in sight of the Indians. Concluding that he 
must either fight or run, and his little party being 
mounted while the savages were afoot, he made a 
dash for the widest part of the valley, but was brought 
to a halt by a deep creek with precipitous banks over 
which he could not get the horses. The Indians, 
meantime, made friendly signs, wading into the creek 
to show the fording place, and as there was little 
choice Sheridan and his two comrades crossed the 
stream into the midst of the enemy. When on the 
opposite bank, to his joy he saw the encampment of 
the surveying party below them. Probably the only 
thing that had saved them from being killed and 



20 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

scalped was that the savages had not seen them before 
they were near this encampment. 

The two men that Sheridan had left behind were 
now sent for, and Lieutenant Hood, whom Sheridan 
had relieved, started back as ordered. Without 
serious encounters with the Indians the surveying 
party, after a three months' journey through the 
wilderness, reached Portland, Oregon, October 9th., 
and were soon after encamped on the Columbia River 
near Fort Vancouver. Settlers had already begun to 
take up farms in that country. 

Lieutenant Sheridan was soon detached from his 
command, and detailed to the command of a detach- 
ment of dragoons, in the expedition of Major Rains, 
of the Fourth Infantry, against the Yakima Indians. 
These Indians had killed their agent and driven back 
an expedition that had been sent against them, captur- 
ing a number of men and two small cannon. The 
object of this second expedition was to retrieve the 
disaster. It was made up of a small body of regular 
troops and a regiment of mounted volunteers, all com- 
manded by Colonel Nesmith, afterwards United States 
Senator from Oregon. The whole was commanded 
by Major Rains, who proved incompetent, though he 
had a commission as brigadier-general from the 
governor. 

On the second day out Sheridan captured a large 
amount of the winter food of the Indians, and then 
struck out for the Yakima Valley. In passing over the 
dry soil the troops made so great a cloud of dust that 
little could be seen beyond it. Through the mis- 



FIGHTING THE INDIANS 21 

management of the commander the Indians got away, 
but Sheridan, learning that they had escaped up the 
valley, pressed on in pursuit. While trying to find 
them he saw a dense cloud of dust between him and 
the position where Major Rains had intended to 
encamp for the night. It looked as though the Indians 
had got between him and the main force, and that 
they greatly outnumbered him. But without more 
ado he ordered an advance to cut his way through 
them. Without waiting to fight, the opposite party 
turned tail. Sheridans troopers followed in hot pur- 
suit, until they found that they were driving into 
camp a party of Oregon Volunteers, that had mis- 
taken his company for Indians. Both parties were 
relieved as well as amused. 

The next day they pursued the Indians until the 
latter halted on a ridge where, naked and painted in 
brilliant colors, with decorations of scarlet cloth, they 
paraded back and forth with insulting gestures and 
threats to charge down the heights. This so angered 
the men that, without permission, they charged on 
them and drove them from the hill. No sooner had 
the soldiers returned to their former position than 
the savages were again on the ridge making the same 
insulting demonstrations. Sheridan proposed a plan 
by which he thought they might be driven out and 
captured, but was not permitted to carry it out. The 
next day found the Indians still on the hill, where they 
were charged by the infantry, while Sheridan passed 
through a canon into the upper valley. The Indians 
ran away without fighting, and that night Sheridan 



22 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

went into camp near a Mission which had at the out- 
break of hostilities, been pillaged and Father Pandoza, 
its priest, carried off. 

The pursuit was continued but winter was upon 
them, and at night they would spread their blankets 
on the snow, to find themselves covered by a white 
blanket in the morning. The Indians fled into a 
region where they could not be followed. The 
campaign was a failure, and our young lieutenant 
again returned to Fort Vancouver. 

The poor results of this second expedition greatly 
encouraged the Indians to resistance, and all of them 
east of the Cascade Range banded together to fight the 
advance of civilization. This finally brought on the 
Indian war of 1856. The Ninth Infantry was sent 
from the Atlantic coast, and with it Colonel George 
Wright, who took command in place of Major Rains, 
and made the objective point of his operations the 
upper Columbia River. 

On the morning of March 26, the movement of 
troops began, but the Indians made an unexpected 
attack between Vancouver and Dalles. They killed 
several men, women, and children, captured the 
Portage, and besieged the settlers in their cabins at the 
lower Cascade. Some of the settlers had taken refuge 
in a military blockhouse and resisted them at the 
Middle Cascade. In this emergency Sheridan was sent 
forward to establish communications with the settlers, 
which meant the recapture of the Cascade. .With only 
forty men he started on a steamer up the Columbia 
River. Here he found the Indians had taken position 



FIGHTING THE INDIANS 23 

on a narrow neck of land near the lower Cascades, 
where they could not be easily attacked by his small 
force. He sent back a report of the situation by the 
steamer and then, with a large boat he had retained, 
crossed his little command to the opposite side of the 
river and made his way along the mountain base until 
opposite the blockhouse. 

On his way he crossed to an island midway in the 
stream and captured some old Indian women who 
were left behind. By threats he kept them silent, and 
then made them help his men tow the boat up the 
rapid. To see what the Indians were doing he went 
up the steep mountain that rises from the river, where 
he could see over the island. With his glass he saw 
that they were enjoying themselves by racing horses 
and other games. The Indians, in their war bonnets 
and painted naked bodies, with the young squaws in 
red blankets, made a gaudy appearance; but he could 
not stop to witness their festivities, for should the 
Indians discover what he was about they could easily 
come over to the island, when he would be in great 
peril. He soon got the boat opposite the blockhouse, 
where the water was smooth, and communicated with 
the besieged settlers to let them know that help was 
at hand. 

The advance of the rest of the troops soon arrived 
and Sheridan communicated the situation to the 
lieutenant commanding. He then said, " If you will 
push your men down the main shore, it is my opinion 
that the Cascade Indians will cross to the island, while 
the other Indians will flee to the mountains; then if 



24 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

a part of your men will join me I will cross to the 
island and capture the whole band." This was done 
and the entire body of Cascade Indians, men, women, 
and children, were captured; while, as he predicted, 
the Yakimas fled to the mountains. 

The captured Indians were terribly frightened and 
declared it was the Yakimas that had killed the 
settlers. Sheridan disproved this statement by draw- 
ing them up in line with their muskets, and then 
passing down the line inserted his fore-finger in the 
muzzles of each rifle and then holding up his finger 
showing that it was blackened with powder. This was 
convincing evidence of their guilt in taking part in the 
massacre of the whites. Nine of the leaders were 
selected, tried, and hanged; and this had so good an 
effect that the subjugation of the allied bands soon 
followed. 

The successful termination of this campaign was 
principally the work of our young lieutenant, and 
General Wool, who had come up from San Francisco, 
was so much pleased with results that, in his report 
to General Scott, he mentioned our young hero in such 
commendatory terms that General Scott complimented 
him in General Orders by saying; " Second Lieutenant 
Philip H. Sheridan, Fourth Infantry, is specially men- 
tioned for gallantry." 

Shortly after this he was sent, with his detachment 
of dragoons, to take station at the Indian reservation 
in Yamhill County, Oregon. The purpose was to give 
permanent homes to the restless bands of roving 
Indians, who kept the settlers in constant fear. 



FIGHTING THE INDIANS £5 

Several tribes were settled there, and afterwards the 
Chinooks were taken here from their homes in the 
Willamette Valley. Sheridan learned their language, 
as it was one that most of the other Indians could 
speak. When these Indians had got beyond the con- 
trol of their agent, Sheridan had been sent to the 
latter's relief. He found him besieged in his block- 
house. He found also that the poor Indians were half 
starved and that the prospect of being wholly starved 
had caused the trouble. Food was soon supplied to 
them, and the young lieutenant then joined his com- 
pany again at Fort Yamhill, where Captain Russell 
(afterwards a prominent general in the Civil War) 
was in command. 

Captain Russell assigned to Sheridan the duty of 
keeping the Indians in order. As he could talk their 
language like a native, he was able to render valuable 
service on many critical occasions. Illustrative of this 
were his negotiations with the Indians when it become 
necessary to build a blockhouse for the protection of 
the agent at Yamhill Bay. The Indian burial-place 
was the only good site for the purpose, as in other 
places around the bay the land rises abruptly from 
the water. When Sheridan first made the proposal 
to take the burial-ground, the Indians objected very 
strongly; for there is nothing so painful to an Indian 
as disturbing his dead. But he assembled them for 
council and talked with them all day in their language, 
until at last it was agreed that the land would be given 
for that purpose. 

Their dead were buried in canoes which were set 



26 BOYS' LIFE OF. SHERIDAN 

on the crotches of trees. All the property of the 
dead was also placed in these canoes with the body 
of the deceased Indian, so that he might go to the 
Happy Hunting Grounds in proper state. These 
canoes were infested with wood rats of a peculiar 
species, with tails like squirrels. The next day, when 
according to the agreement the canoes were to be set 
adrift on the water, the soldiers anticipated great fun 
in seeing the rats try to escape. But when the canoes 
were taken down not a rat was to be seen. The 
Indians declared that they understood the Chinook 
language and that they did not wish to accompany 
their dead to the Happy Hunting Grounds and had 
made for the woods. 

Sheridan had some trouble with the Rogue River 
Indians, who had fought our troops savagely but had 
been obliged to give up, though they said they did not 
wish to follow the ways of the pale-faces. They 
would kill their horses on the graves of their dead and 
destroy their property, believing that they should 
undergo privations while mourning for their dead, and 
Sheridan had to talk them out of this. In all troubles 
Lieutenant Sheridan's practical sense and sound judg- 
ment, as well as the warm-hearted interest he took in 
promoting the real welfare of the Indians under his 
control, produced the best results. 

He continued on these duties without incident 
worthy of record until the outbreak of the Civil War. 
As he was intensely loyal, the news of the firing of 
Fort Sumter made him desire to do his part in fight- 
ing for the Union. When the orders came for his 



FIGHTING THE INDIANS 27 

regiment to go East, to his chagrin he was left, a 
second lieutenant, in command of the post. Septem- 
ber 1, 1861, he was relieved. In consequence of the 
resignation of Southern officers he had now at- 
tained the rank of captain of the Thirteenth In- 
fantry, of which General Sherman had been made the 
colonel. 

When he embarked for the Atlantic Coast via 
Panama, the Secession element was so strong in 
California that it was feared the steamer on which he 
embarked might be seized and carried into some 
Southern port ; so he banded together with other loyal 
passengers to prevent such an unpleasant emergency. 
He reached New York safely, however, and started 
to join his new regiment at Jefferson Barracks, Mis- 
souri. On his way he stopped off to see his father 
and mother, whom he had not visited for eight 
years. 

While on the distant frontiers of Oregon, Sheridan 
had heard of the "secession of South Carolina and other 
Southern states; the organization of the so-called Con- 
federate Government on the 4th of February, 1861; 
the inauguration of war by the firing on Fort Sumter 
by the rebels on the nth of April; and the call of 
President Lincoln for seventy thousand troops to 
enforce the laws which were being obstructed by armed 
rebellion in the South. The battle of Bull Run, which 
had been fought on the 16th of July, 1861, took place 
while he was still in Oregon, and exaggerated accounts 
of the defeat of the national army reached him there. 
This battle had, though a defeat, roused the North 



28 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

and breathed into it a national spirit, obliterating 
party lines ^.nd inspiring the people with a vigor- 
ous patriotism looking to the restoration of the 
Union. 

Missouri, though a slave state, was held for the 
Union by the loyal people, though her governor was 
disloyal and had attempted to carry her into the line 
of Confederate states. General Lyon, with a few 
followers, had disrupted the plans of the secessionists 
by capturing Camp Jackson and the Missouri rebels 
gathered there. In a battle that followed, at Wilson's 
Creek, Lyon was defeated and killed; and the Con- 
federates, gathering headway, threatened to spread 
their power over the entire state. 

The plan for the campaign by the national troops for 
the year 1862 in the West was to open the Mississippi 
River, thereby cutting in twain the Confederacy, 
shutting off its supplies from the west, and restoring 
to the western states the great commerce of that 
section. The Confederate line at that time extended 
from the Cumberland Mountains to the Mississippi 
River, and two forts, Donelson and Henry, were the 
Confederate sentinels guarding the Cumberland and 
Tennessee rivers, the great highways for trade and 
war. On the 14th of February General Grant had 
captured these two forts and exacted an unconditional 
surrender of the army guarding them, thus not only 
opening to navigation these two highways for a con- 
siderable distance, but causing the Confederates to 
abandon the rest of their line and to concentrate their 
army, under General Johnston, at Corinth. 



FIGHTING THE INDIANS 29 

Such, in brief, was the general situation of affairs 
when Captain Philip Sheridan arrived at the seat of 
war in the West and found General Halleck in com- 
mand of the armies, with his headquarters at St. 
Louis. 



CHAPTER III 



A TALK ABOUT WAR 



It is naturally to be supposed that boys and girls 
who read this book do not know about the terms used 
in war. Those who would like to learn about them 
should read this chapter, those who already know 
about them, or who do not care to learn, may skip 
it. 

We have followed Philip Sheridan through his 
rugged childhood and boyish success in a country 
store; through his hardly-won professional course at 
the Military Academy, and his early Indian fighting 
on the frontiers. Now we are about to see how he 
became one of the three greatest generals in the 
greatest war known to history. 

War is a very ancient occupation, far older than 
agriculture or manufacturing or commerce, and has 
become a skilled art built upon a careful science. It has 
a language of its own and if we spend a little time 
learning what some of its commonest terms are, and 
what they mean, we can read this story more under- 
standing^, — just as one who knows the rules can 
watch a ball-game more intelligently. If we bear in 
mind that to be a great general one must not only 
know military science and be skilled in the art of war, 
but must have great genius as well, we shall under- 

30 



A TALK ABOUT WAR 31 

stand what a great thing it was that a poor little 
country lad like Phil Sheridan became such a great 
figure in such a great war 

At first battles were fought by men in mobs, armed 
with sticks and stones. Then they learned that they 
could fight more effectually if trained to act together 
and they began to use darts and javelins as weapons. 
The ancient Greek armies were organized in phalanxes ; 
the Romans, in legions. The modern unit of military 
organization is a regiment. 

A full regiment consists of a thousand men, divided 
into ten companies of a hundred men each. The 
officers at the head of a regiment are the colonel, lieu- 
tenant-colonel, and major. At the head of a company 
is a captain, and next to him in rank are the first and 
second lieutenant. Sometimes there are brevet officers. 
That means they are to have the position when there 
is a vacancy. The second lieutenant is the lowest 
commissioned officer, and he may resign from the 
army when he pleases; but non-commissioned officers 
(sergeants, corporals, and sergeant-majors) and pri- 
vates are enlisted for a term of years, and to absent 
themselves without leave is desertion, for which they 
may be court-martialed and shot. 

The colonel's duty it to see that his regiment is 
equipped and drilled and kept in the best possible con- 
dition; and he leads or directs them in battle. The 
lieutenant-colonel and major act under the colonel's 
orders and take his place if he is killed or wounded. 
The captain leads or directs his company, aided by his 
lieutenants. Sergeants execute minor orders from 



32 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

commissioned officers, and each of the ten corporals of 
a company looks after a " mess " of ten men. Besides 
the commissioned officers named there are a chaplain, 
who is the clergyman of the regiment; a surgeon for 
the sick and wounded; an adjutant, who is a kind of 
secretary and accountant; a quartermaster, who has 
charge of the tents and baggage and who issues cloth- 
ing; and a commissary, who buys and issues rations. 
Each regiment has a band of musicians, whose duties 
are varied. In war the music is most often a fife and 
drum. When in presence of the enemy as a general 
thing no music is allowed, as it may inform the foe of 
the locality of each regiment. The buglers, or drum- 
mer and fifer in infantry, sound the reveille by which 
every one is warned to get up in the morning for roll 
call ; and the drummers also order " lights out," or 
"taps" as it. is called. All through the day at a 
military post there are varied calls to duty sounded 
on the bugle or with fife and drum. In cavalry most 
of the orders in battle are given by bugle calls, and 
the horses learn the calls about as quickly as the men 
do. Sometimes they put a raw recruit on a horse 
which has learned the calls, and the horse will carry, 
his rider through all the evolutions correctly. When 
the garrison flag is raised in the morning and lowered 
at sundown, and when there are distinguished visitors, 
the band plays the national airs. On the march music 
cheers and regulates the motion, — a quickstep hasten- 
ing the time, a slow march delaying it. In battle, 
orders to charge or retreat are given by the trumpeter ; 
but not always, for fear of informing the enemy. 



A TALK ABOUT WAR 33 

Two or more regiments acting together are a 
brigade, and the officer in command is usually a 
brigadier-general. Two or more brigades form an 
army division, which is usually commanded by a 
major-general. An army corps is composed of a num- 
ber of divisions and is commanded by an experienced 
major-general A lieutenant-general outranks a 
major-general, and that rank in our armies has been 
given only to Washington, Scott, Grant, Sherman, and 
Sheridan. 

Soldiers enlisted in the service of .the Federal 
Government are called regulars ; those in the service of 
any state are militia. Those who enlist in time of war 
and are mustered into the service of the United States 
are known as volunteers. Mounted troops are cavalry ; 
foot-soldiers, infantry ; those in charge of heavy guns, 
artillery. Engineers have charge of pontoon trains 
and build bridges; they lay out and build forts and 
other defenses; they also lay mines to blow up forts. 

In order that friends may be distinguished from 
enemies, there is an army uniform. In the Revolution 
our uniform was blue and buff, but sometimes the men 
were too poor to have anything more uniform than 
a sprig of evergreen in their caps. Our present uni- 
form is blue, but khaki is largely worn, especially in 
warm weather, because it is cool ; also it is an obscure 
color and does not form a good target. The uniform 
not only shows the army to which a soldier belongs, 
but his branch of the service and his rank. Orange 
trimmings show that a soldier belongs to the en- 
gineers; red, artillery; yellow, cavalry; light blue, in- 



34 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

fantry. A commissioned officer wears shoulder straps 
with devices to indicate his rank — four stars for a full 
general; three for a lieutenant-general; two for a 
major-general; one for a brigadier-general; and an 
eagle for colonel, etc. Non-commissioned officers wear 
chevrons on their sleeves, and has, as also do the pri- 
vates, the letters of his company and number of his 
regiment on his cap. He also wears a badge which 
shows the army corps to which he belongs. 

In times of peace there are no volunteer troops ; the 
militia assemble on their state camp grounds once a 
year for drill, and local armories are built in large 
towns where they can assemble for company drill; 
while the regular army is scattered among the various 
forts doing garrison duty. All forts belong to the 
Federal Government and not to the states. 

In ancient times cities were built on hills or other 
defensible places and were guarded by great walls and 
strong gates. In the Middle Ages kings and nobles 
built themselves strong castles in which they were 
always on guard against enemies. In modern times 
cities are built on good commercial sites and have no 
walls; but every important city, especially near the 
seacoast, is defended by forts guarding the approaches 
by land or water. A fort is built with walls strong 
enough to withstand the heaviest shot; it has powerful 
guns of long range ; its approaches are cleared of every- 
thing that might shelter an enemy ; it has a deep ditch 
or moat sometimes full of water all around it. Within 
are quarters for the men who make up the garrison, 
magazines filled with ammunition, and stores of provi- 



A TALK ABOUT WAR 35 

sions. It is said that the great fortress of Gibraltar 
is always provisioned for twenty years ahead. A fort 
is taken either by siege or assault. In the former case 
the besieging army is drawn up on all sides so as to 
prevent the garrison from escaping or getting outside 
help. Then the besiegers try to get near the fort with- 
out exposing themselves to the fire of its guns. The 
men sometimes advance with gabions, — wicker baskets 
without bottoms, — set them down and fill them with 
soil, and so secure a shelter against the enemy's shot. 
To cross the ditch they sometimes carry bundles of 
sticks bound together, called fascines, and throw them 
in till they form a bridge; but this is not often done in 
modern war. Sometimes they climb to the parapet on 
scaling ladders. The artillery try to shatter the walls 
with their big guns, and mines are dug under the 
walls for blowing them up. 

If a garrison is so weakened that it can hold out no 
longer, it sends out an officer with a white flag of 
truce to ask what terms will be given. These terms 
vary all the way from " unconditional surrender " to 
" honors of war." In the former case the garrison 
marches out with colors cased and in silence, surrender 
their arms, and give themselves up as prisoners of 
war. When a garrison has still fight enough in it to 
get the honors of war, it marches out with colors flying 
and band playing, retains its arms, and marches off un- 
molested. This is seldom, however, done in modern 
wars. 

The country occupied by contending armies is called 
the theater of war. When an army is in an enemy's 



36 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

country, at every halt of much duration, and always 
at night, a guard is established around the camping 
place of each regiment. The ground guarded by the 
sentinels and where they walk back and forth is called 
a post. The sentinels or guards are instructed to allow 
no one to approach their post without the countersign, 
which is a word given out and which no one but the 
guards and the officers know. Each post is numbered 
and in case the sentinel wishes to leave his post — has 
captured a prisoner or is in doubt what to do — he calls 

out: "Officer of the Guard, Post !" giving the 

number of his post. At almost any time of night he is 
liable to be tested by an officer with some men coming 
around. This is called the " grand rounds." There 
is also a line of sentinels thrown out far in front of 
the whole army. These are called " pickets," or if 
mounted men, they are called " videttes." At the least 
move by the enemy the videttes send back information 
of it. If the enemy is advancing, they fire their 
muskets and, if it looks dangerous, fall back on the 
main army. 

The pickets usually make shallow rifle-pits by throw- 
ing up the soil in their front, behind which to build 
fires for warmth or for cooking, or for defense against 
the enemy's pickets and sharp-shooters. 

When a body of soldiers are marching to attack an 
enemy, they throw out skirmishers. These are a line 
of men about twenty feet apart in front of the main 
force. The skirmishers are for the purpose of guard- 
ing against surprises, or an enemy in ambush, and to 
clear the way for the main body of marching men. 



A TALK ABOUT WAR 37 

When the battle really begins, the skirmishers fall 
back to the main body of troops and take their places 
in the ranks. 

To find out what the enemy is doing previous to a 
battle, scouts or scouting parties are sent out towards 
the foe; this scouting is done with cavalry mostly, but 
sometimes with infantry. Where a single scout goes 
into the enemy's lines to get information, he is called 
a spy; and if captured he is shot or hanged. Some- 
times he is given a court-martial, which is a court com- 
posed of officers, the judge of which is called a judge 
advocate. But usually there is but little form in trying 
and rinding a spy guilty, and an informal trial is called 
a " drum-head court-martial." All trials in the army 
are called court-martials. 

Soldiers sent out to collect food or forage for the 
army in an enemy's country are called " foragers." 
The " wings " of an army are the right and left por- 
tions of it. If we draw lines like this: 



to represent two bodies of men, the further ends 
of each line are its flanks. To attack the flanks 
of an army is to attack these ends and drive the men, 
into huddles; for it is next to impossible for a line of 
men to defend itself when so attacked by an enemy. 
When artillery or musketry sweeps these lines endways 
down the line, it is very destructive and is called 
" enfilading " it. In the formation of a regiment there 
are two lines of men, one back of the other. These 
are called " rear " and " front " ranks. 

Wars grow out of political disputes or for the con- 



^8 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

quest of new territory. These disputes are sometimes 
settled by diplomacy between the two parties, or by 
friendly arbitration of a neutral power. When these 
measures are impossible, the aggrieved nation makes a 
declaration of war, which is an appeal to arms for the 
settlement of the dispute, just as in civil life a plaintiff 
appeals to the courts for a decision of his case. 

From this point war is carried on like a great ter- 
rible game. The two parties are enemies, — invaders 
and defenders. Both put as many men into the field 
as they can raise and under their best generals. The 
invaders try to weaken the enemy by killing, wound- 
ing, and taking prisoners as many of his soldiers as 
possible ; by taking his capital and destroying his army 
or government; by destroying property, burning 
houses, killing cattle or destroying any other food 
that may help him, capturing his forts, and crippling 
his means in every way possible to prevent his continu- 
ing the fight. The defenders try to prevent the inva- 
sion and protect their people and property. In these 
operations, of course, innocent and helpless people 
suffer terribly, and a week of war may sweep away 
all the property of a generation of hard-working, 
peaceable people. 

As an invading army enters a country, it tries to 
take all the forts in its path, for it is bad policy to 
leave an enemy in the rear. If the fighting is on open 
territory, the one that can keep the field is the victor. 
Success in war depends most largely on good general- 
ship. A general is not supposed to risk his life, except 
at critical turns in a battle, but to take a position where 



A TALK ABOUT WAR 39 

he can view the entire field and direct the movements 
of his forces. Great generals are very rare, and that 
is the reason we give so much study to their lives. 

When either side in a war becomes too weakened 
to carry it on, it asks for terms of peace, and the terms 
are stated in a treaty of peace which settles all ques- 
tions in dispute and ends the war. 

A civil war is waged between the citizens of the same 
country. Individuals do not need to fight for a settle- 
men of their disputes, because they can always take 
them before a court for settlement. But until recently 
there was no court before which nations could bring 
their disputes. Now, however, steps are being taken 
toward forming an international court where national 
disputes can be settled without an appeal to arms. 
Even if this should not very soon lead to the disband- 
ing of all armies, it must tend to lessen the number 
and the horrors of wars. Those who know most about 
war are most in favor of universal peace. 



CHAPTER IV 

SHERIDAN AT THE OPENING OF THE CIVIL WAR 

Before proceeding with our narrative it is needful 
that the reader should understand some of the causes 
of the War for the Union. 

While Philip Sheridan was getting his training as a 
careful business man at his old home, his military 
education at West Point, and his practical experience 
fighting Indians on the frontiers, the great war in 
which he was to bear such a brilliant part was gather- 
ing over the land. From the very founding of the 
Union statesmen had differed as to whether a state 
might go out of that Union of her own accord; and 
for more than a generation slavery had caused a bitter 
and burning quarrel between the Northern and South- 
ern members of the Union. When the Republican 
party was formed, the chief plank in its platform was 
that all new states should come in, in future, as free. 
The slave states resisted this on the ground that the 
free states would soon have such a majority in Con- 
gress that they could abolish slavery. When, there- 
fore, the Republican party elected Air. Lincoln, the 
slave states declared that as sovereign states they 
would leave the Union, and they began to seize the 
forts and other Federal property within their limits. 
When the loyal garrison of Fort Sumter refused to 

40 



OPENING OF THE CIVIL WAR 41 

surrender, the Secessionists opened fire upon it. By 
those who denied the sovereignty of the states these 
acts of rebellion against the rightful government were 
to be put down by force of arms. And so this great 
country was swept into a terrible war in which every 
citizen had to take his stand for or against the preserva- 
tion of the Union, and thousands sealed their belief 
with their lives. 

After the first confused fighting in the border states, 
the war settled down to a grim siege of the Southern 
Confederacy, but a siege on the biggest scale known 
to history. A blockading squadron hemmed in the 
coast from Hampton, Virginia, to Galveston, Texas. 
The Army of the Potomac guarded the line of that 
river, while the Army of the West cooperated along 
the line of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. For four 
years these armies, with their hundreds of thousands 
of soldiers, besieged and assaulted the Confederate 
lines of defense and met with a skill and valor equal 
to their own, both sides fighting as only men of the 
same blood can fight each other, till the Confederate 
Army, worn down to the last shred of its strength, 
laid down its arms at Appomattox. When the war was; 
over, Philip Sheridan was acclaimed as one of its three 
greatest generals. 

When Sheridan arrived East from Oregon to join 
the Union forces, he was first assigned to the Army 
of the West, where General Halleck was in command 
and General Grant and General Sherman were en- 
gaged. At the time of his arrival on the Atlantic 
Coast Captain Sheridan was about thirty years of age; 



42 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

he was healthy, insensible to fatigue, and his habits 
were methodical and painstaking. In person he was 
under-sized, with a large chest, short legs slightly 
bowed as though designed by nature to fit the flanks 
of a horse while riding, and arms so long that they 
reached below his knees. It was these long arms that 
made him one of the best cavalry swordsmen in the 
army. Because of his long body he looked to be very 
tall when on horseback. His head was large, his face 
grave and full of strength. His manner was dignified 
and decided, and ordinarily there was nothing impa- 
tient in it. He was willing to do any amount of exact 
and careful work. No labor was too great or exertion 
too severe for him to undertake. 

General Halleck at first made him president of a 
board of officers to audit the accounts of the distribut- 
ing officers in his department, which under Halleck's 
predecessor, General John C. Fremont, had been 
loosely conducted. There he soon brought order out 
of the chaos that had prevailed. 

He continued in this work until December 26, 1861, 
when he was made chief quartermaster and commis- 
sary of subsistence of the Army of Southwest Mis- 
souri. A difference between Sheridan and an assistant- 
quartermaster who wanted his place resulted in General 
Curtis's appointing this man to succeed him. Sheridan 
had found out that this officer was stealing horses 
from the surrounding people and then selling them to 
the army. When he had presented his bill for pay- 
ment for these horses, Sheridan seized them and re- 
fused to make payment even on the order of General 







FIELD OF OPERATIONS OF ARMY OF THE WEST. 



OPENING OF THE CIVIL WAR 43 

Curtis. A court-martial was convened to try him for 
disobedience, when General Halleck ordered him on 
duty with a roving commission to purchase horses for 
fyis army. He was on this duty when the battle of 
Shiloh was fought. 

Sheridan was desirous of service in the field, but the 
nearest he could get to it was the appointment as 
quartermaster of General Halleck's headquarters; this 
was at the time when Halleck was digging his way to 
Corinth, or fortifying every part of the way while 
advancing to capture that place. That general was 
delighted with the improvement that at once took place 
in the camp outfit and transportation, under Sheridan's 
careful and energetic administration. He came near, 
however, losing this place by his sense of army pro- 
prieties. Everybody at headquarters had come to look 
to him for their comfort, and when an order came for 
him to obtain fresh beef, Sheridan refused, as he was 
neither a commissionary nor a caterer. The next day, 
however, he was made a commissary of subsistence, 
which as he said, " brought him in the line of fresh 
beef," and after that there was no scarcity of it at 
Halleck's mess. 

Such duties were carefully performed, but he was 
longing to be let loose into the sterner duties of active 
life in the field, where he felt that he was needed. 
General Sherman, with whom he was acquainted, 
endeavored to have him commissioned as colonel of an 
Ohio regiment, but failed; for politicians wanted the 
place filled with their friends for their own benefit 
rather than for the advantage of the national cause. 



44 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

He was chafing in these subordinate inferior positions 
and had almost given up trying to obtain a higher 
commission for active service, when General Gordon 
Granger suggested his appointment to the command of 
the Second Michigan Cavalry. 

General Granger was discussing the affairs of that 
regiment of which he had been the former colonel with 
Captain Russell A. Alger, afterwards governor of 
Michigan, when he said; "I have in mind the very 
man you need to command the regiment." 

"Who is it?" inquired Alger. "The regiment is 
getting disorderly and it needs a firm, practical sol- 
dier." 

" Captain Philip Sheridan," replied General 
Granger; "he's the man you need; but I doubt if 
Governor Blair will appoint him, for he thinks that 
regular officers are too strict." 

" We need that kind of a man," said Alger, de- 
cidedly. 

" Well, I will give you a letter to the governor ; you 
know he is here, don't you? If you hurry up I think 
you can see him before he leaves for home." 

Alger started at once, saw Governor Blair, obtained 
the commission for Sheridan, and on the morning of 
May 27, 1862, handed to Captain Sheridan this tele- 
gram : " Captain Philip H. Sheridan, U. S. Army, is 
hereby appointed Colonel of the Second Michigan 
Cavalry to rank from this date. Captain Sheridan will 
immediately assume command of the regiment." 

With this telegram Sheridan went to Halleck and 
said, " I want you to allow me to accept that commis- 



OPENING OF THE CIVIL WAR 45 

sion; it will put me into active service, where I am 
needed." 

At first the crusty old general said, " No, I can't 
do it without permission of the War Department." 
But Sheridan urged his desire for active service with 
such eloquence that Halleck yielded. 

When this appointment was known among his 
friends at headquarters they hastened to congratulate 
him. 

" We are hoping you will soon be a brigadier- 
general," said one. 

" No I thank you," Sheridan is said to have re- 
sponded. " Colonel of cavalry is rank enough for me; 
it's just what I want." 

How little a man knows himself. Before many 
months had passed he was a brigadier and then a 
major-general, — each rank dating, as we shall see, 
from a battle he had won. 

When Sheridan appeared at the headquarters of the 
Second Michigan to take command, neither officers nor 
men were greatly impressed. He was so small that 
they could scarcely see him from one end of the regi- 
ment to the other. Once on horseback, however, he 
looked like a different man, and his horsemanship com- 
manded their admiration. He at once went to work 
to put the regiment in shape; he saw to it that they 
were well fed and cared for, — things that only an ex- 
perienced soldier knows how to do. 

At the time of which we write Halleck's vast army 
had dug its way to the front of Corinth, and the Con- 
federates under Beauregard were trying to escape with 



46 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

all their material. In two days after Sheridan had 
assumed command, his regiment and the Second Iowa 
Cavalry, formed into a brigade under command of 
Colonel W. A. Elliot, started out for a raid to Boone- 
ville, twenty-two miles below Corinth, to destroy the 
enemy's supplies and to cut his railroad communica- 
tions, on which he depended in his retreat. They 
encountered the enemy on the outskirts of the town, 
forced him back, took possession of the station, and 
began destroying the railroad track to prevent its use 
in carrying away munitions of war. The enemy at- 
tempted to prevent this by making a dash upon them, 
but was repulsed by one of Sheridan's companies. 

Returning to Booneville, Sheridan found the rail- 
road track blocked with the Confederate supply trains, 
while several thousand convalescent and demoralized 
Confederate soldiers were in the fields and woods. He 
set fire to the cars, which contained over twenty thou- 
sand stands of small arms, a large amount of ammuni- 
tion, several pieces of artillery, and General Polk's 
personal baggage. All this was done with but small 
loss of men. 

No men recognize more quickly than soldiers in the 
ranks when an officer cares for their comfort and 
saves them from needless hardship and loss of life. 
Sheridan had thus soon gained their respect and 
admiration, and they were willing to do all that he ex- 
acted from them. And the men had already given 
him the loving nickname of " Little Phil," a sobriquet 
he always retained with them. 

Meanwhile, Colonel Elliot had been commissioned 



OPENING OF THE CIVIL WAR 47 

as a brigadier-general and assigned to duty on the 
staff of General Halleck, which left Sheridan in com- 
mand of the brigade. He at once began scouting over 
the country, making information maps o.f it and 
thoroughly informing himself about the people. On 
the 1st of July we find him encamped at Booneville. 
Halleck's slow advance on Corinth left Sheridan's com- 
mand of less than eight hundred men isolated twenty 
miles in advance, with the Confederate army of 
Beauregard about the same distance in his front. He 
had become not only the eyes but the right arm of 
Halleck's army. He watched every movement, send- 
ing Halleck information, and harrassed the Con- 
federate outposts. Beauregard was not long in finding 
out how small was the force that was causing him so 
much trouble and uneasiness, and resolved to destroy 
or capture it, for Sheridan was holding a country rich 
in supplies that he needed for his army. 

On July 1, 1862, with about five thousand cavalry 
under General Chalmers, he came upon Sheridan's 
pickets about three miles from Booneville, forcing 
them slowly back until they arrived at the junction of 
converging roads, where they made a stand, while 
Sheridan sent three more companies to their assistance. 
These men dismounted and formed their lines, but soon 
found themselves confronted by a vastly superior force 
which overlapped him by deploying two regiments on 
his right and left. He sent back word to General 
Asboth commanding the division, " The enemy has 
ten regiments under Chalmers; I want support, par- 
ticularly artillery." The supports did not come but, 



48 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

nothing daunted, he met the emergency energetically 
and fearlessly. He instructed his men to hold their 
position until he could bring up supports, and if they 
must fall back to do so slowly, taking shelter behind 
every tree or log to assail the Confederates. 

At first the enemy attempted to drive them by a 
direct attack, over an open field. His men waited until 
the enemy were within short range, and then opened a 
destructive fire from their Colt's rifles and drove them 
back. When Sheridan saw that they were overlapping 
both flanks of his little force, he fell back to a strong 
position he had selected, in which to give battle. He 
made his dispositions with great foresight, and was all 
along his lines, cheering and encouraging and urging 
his men to do their utmost. When Sheridan was 
falling back to this new position the Confederates, 
thinking that they had him on the run, hurled upon 
him all the men possible. But they soon discovered 
their mistake, for they were met with a resistance so 
desperate that it assumed the character of a hand-to- 
hand fight. His men clubbed their muskets, striking 
at the enemy and holding him off until reinforcements 
from the Second Iowa arrived, when the rebels were 
driven back again. The fight had lasted from daylight 
until afternoon. 

The enemy saw that they outnumbered Sheridan's 
little army and, gaining confidence with this knowledge 
began a flanking movement around his left. Sheridan 
saw that the situation was desperate and that some- 
thing must be done or the Confederates would capture 
his camp with his train of supplies. He had sent back 



OPENING OF THE CIVIL WAR 49 

word again : " I have been holding a large force of 
the enemy prisoners — say ten regiments in all — all day. 
Am considerably cut up, but am holding my camp." 

In this emergency Sheridan determined to pass a 
small force around the Confederates and strike their 
rear with a cavalry charge. It was " piecing out the 
lion's skin with the fox's tail," — a very desperate 
remedy for a desperate situation, a last resort, a for- 
lorn hope. He remembered an unused cart-path by 
which he could send this force to the enemy's rear un- 
perceived. In his brief stay in this locality he had 
learned every foot of territory, so that he knew the 
ground better than did the rebels themselves. He 
carried in his mind every by-path and knew the people 
and their politics. He thus had every possible resource 
except men. 

Sending for Captain Russell A. Alger, who was 
just recovering from camp fever, he said : " I am 
going to entrust to you the execution of a desperate 
scheme." He pointed out to him, on a map that he 
had made, the unused road, and said : " I am placing 
under your command four saber companies, two from 
each of my regiments. This cart-path will lead you 
around to the enemy's rear, it leads you to the Black- 
land road, about three miles from here. I give you just 
an hour in which to reach this place. When you reach 
it, turn up that road and charge upon the enemy at 
once ! Yell, hurrah, make all the noise you can ! You 
are not to deploy your men under any circumstance. 
Charge in column through everything in your front! 
At the expiration of the hour I will take my reserve, 



50 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

join the main line and charge the rebels with my whole 
force. If I am not mistaken that will rattle Johnny 
Reb. To make sure that you take the right road, I will 
send with you Breen, my guide, who knows the road. 
Now remember, when you charge cheer like mad, so 
that we can hear you." 

To the brave man there are often given unexpected 
circumstances that assist him. Some time after Alger 
had started out on his desperate venture, a train with 
two cars came into the station and whistled. Sheridan 
ordered the engineer to continue rattling back and 
forth with those two lone baggage-cars, whistling as 
though trains were arriving with reinforcements. His 
men actually believed reinforcements were coming to 
their help and were ready to fight with renewed energy. 

When the hour had passed, nothing had been heard 
from Alger. He had, however, followed his instruc- 
tions. He swooped down on the Confederates like a 
whirlwind, in columns of four, reaching their rear 
at a point not dreamed of by them, dispersing their 
headquarters without stopping to take prisoners, and 
rushed on with tumultuous cheers. At the same time 
Sheridan made a furious attack on the Confederate left 
with the Second Iowa and charged their front with the 
Second Michigan. Dazed and confused, and thinking 
they were being attacked by overpowering numbers, 
the Confederates broke and ran. The victory was 
Sheridan's. 

In this attack Sheridan had but 827 men, and those 
under Alger numbered but ninety officers and men. 
The Confederates had two battalions, in all not less 




GETTING BEHIND THE ENEMY. 



OPENING OF THE CIVIL WAR 51 

than five thousand men. Forty of the Confederates, 
severely wounded, fell into Sheridan's hands. 

After the Confederate stampede was fully assured, 
Sheridan sent back word : " I will not want any 
infantry supports, as I have whipped the enemy .... 
I have lost some fine officers and men, but have hurt the 
enemy badly. It would be well to let me have a bat- 
tery of artillery. I might then be able to follow them 
up." 

The victory against such odds was very gratifying, 
and that it has not been magnified the General Orders 
of both Halleck and Rosecrans bear witness. In Gen- 
eral Orders No. 81, Rosecrans says: "The general 
commanding announces to this army that on the 1st 
inst. Colonel P. H. Sheridan . . . with eleven com- 
panies of his own men and eleven of the Second Iowa 
cavalry was attacked at Booneville by eight regiments 
of rebel cavalry under General Chalmers, and after an 
eight hours' fight drove them back, leaving their dead 
and wounded on the field. The coolness, determina- 
tion, and fearless gallantry displayed by Colonel 
Sheridan and the officers and men of his command 
deserve the thanks and admiration of the army." 

General Halleck in his report to the Secretary of 
War said : " Official report is just received of a 
brilliant affair of our cavalry near Booneville. Colonel 
Sheridan with two regiments — 728 men — was attacked 
by ... . 4700 men, which he defeated and drove 
back after eight hours' fighting. Our loss, forty-one 
killed, wounded, and missing. That of the enemy 
must have been very great. He left sixty-five dead on 



52 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

the field. I respectfully recommended Colonel Sher- 
idan for gallant conduct in battle." 

I have narrated this first battle of our hero, for it 
gives the keynote of his later successes. It is said that 
great events cast a shadow before them. This first 
battle of Sheridan's under exacting and discouraging 
conditions heralded the advent upon the scenes of the 
Civil War of a great general. It was here that he first 
displayed those great qualities that fitted him for com- 
mand. 

On July 30, Brigadier-Generals Rosecrans, C. C. 
Sullivan, Gordon Granger, W. L. Elliot, and A. Asboth 
united in sending a letter to General Halleck, saying : 
" The undersigned respectfully beg that you will ob- 
tain promotion for Sheridan. He is worth his weight 
in gold." 

After the little battle which we have described, it 
was decided that the position held by Sheridan's troops 
; at Booneville was too much exposed; and he was di- 
rected to withdraw to Rienzi, Mississippi, where he 
could guard the roads in front of the army at Corinth 
and yet be within supporting distance of General 
Asboth's infantry. This position also gave him better 
camping ground and better grazing for his horses. 



CHAPTER V 

THE BATTLE OF PERRYVILLE (October, 1 862) 

After the fall of Corinth Buell began his march to 
Chattanooga, and Sheridan, whose command had been 
increased by the addition of the Seventh Kansas 
Cavalry, was instructed to obtain information as to 
the movement of the Confederate army under General 
Bragg. Thus instructed, Sheridan sent out an expedi- 
tion that drove out the enemy from the town of Ripley 
and captured a mail-carrier with letters containing the 
important information that the Confederates were 
moving on Chattanoonga. 

Sheridan was now sending out scouting parties in 
every direction; one day, when about half of his men 
were absent on this duty, with no warning from his 
pickets, which were stationed about three miles out, 
the enemy suddenly dashed into his camp. It was a 
very hot day, and his men were resting in their tents 
quite unprepared for battle. Sheridan, hearing the 
quick pop, pop, pop of muskets, rushed out and rallied 
his men, who came from their tents snatching up their 
cartridge-boxes and muskets. They fought the enemy, 
numbering about eight hundred men, with such energy 
that the latter finally broke and ran in hasty flight. 
Sheridan, not satisfied with beating them off, pursued 
them with two battalions of mounted men and a 

53 



54 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

battery and, finding their main force drawn up for 
battle, furiously attacked them and drove them in 
panic from their camps. Their haste was so great 
that it became ludicrous, the demoralized men throw- 
ing away their arms, blanket, and clothing to lighten 
them for flight. Sheridan had completely turned the 
tables. A good many prisoners were taken, and when 
the recall was sounded his men returned loaded down 
with captured shotguns, hats, haversacks, pistols, 
blankets, and clothing. 

General Granger afterwards reported that " the 
rare drubbing Sheridan gave them was the most dis- 
graceful rout and scatteration I ever heard of." But 
though Sheridan had escaped danger and won honors, 
the picket officer whose neglect had allowed the un- 
earned advent of the enemy into his camp was court- 
martialed. No crime in an army is so great as want 
of vigilance while on guard, for it exposes a whole 
army to disaster and possible destruction. 

During Sheridan's stay at Rienzi a beautiful horse, 
which he named for that place, was presented to him 
by a Mr. Campbell. Rienzi was as black as jet ex- 
cept for his feet, of which three were white. He was 
very large, intelligent, and powerful, and so active 
that he could walk five miles an hour. This was the 
horse that Sheridan rode from Winchester to Cedar 
Creek, and of which Buchanan Read wrote: 

"Hurrah! hurrah! for Sheridan 
Hurrah! for horse and man." 

Rienzi carried Sheridan in many battles, and though 
wounded several times he lived until 1878. 



THE BATTLE OF PERRYVILLE 55 

The concentration of national troops at Louisville 
to meet impending movements of the Confederate 
army soon sent Sheridan to Corinth preparatory to 
going to Cincinnati. General Marcus Wright had 
asked Buell for Sheridan, saying, " I need him very 
much." But Buell finally assigned him to command the 
Eleventh Division of the Third Army Corps in his 
army. 

At Corinth Sheridan met General Grant, who had 
been restored to command and partially to favor, Gen- 
eral Halleck having departed to Washington as Gen- 
eral-in-Chief. Grant knew Sheridan's services from 
reports and wished to keep him there; but Sheridan 
declared, with characteristic vehemence, his belief that 
his greatest field of usefulness was in Kentucky, and 
Grant reluctantly allowed him to go. It was Grant's 
suggestion that Sheridan should take to Cincinnati 
with him the main part of Granger's command, the 
Pea Ridge Brigade, as well as the regiment of which 
he was colonel. 

From Cincinnati Sheridan was sent back to Louis- 
ville to take command of a part of the brigade we have 
mentioned and such other troops as might be sent to 
him. He reported at the Gait House to General 
Nelson, by whom he was heartily received. 

" Why don't you wear the shoulder-straps that be- 
long to your rank?" inquired General Nelson. 

"I do," replied Sheridan; "I am colonel of the 
First Michigan Cavalry." 

" No," said Nelson, " you are a brigadier-general 
since the Booneville fight." 



56 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

" I have not been notified of it," said Sheridan, " if 
I am." 

The very next day, however, he got official notice 
of this appointment and thenceforth gladly wore the 
shoulder-straps of that grade. It was but a few days 
after that General Nelson, who had a hasty temper, 
was killed in that very hotel by a fellow-officer, in a 
paltry quarrel. 

General Buell, as we have said, in reorganizing his 
forces put Brigadier-General Sheridan in command 
of the Eleventh Division of his army. Shortly 
after this Buell ordered the advance of his whole 
army to destroy Bragg or to drive him from 
Kentucky. 

The army began its move October I, 1862, and 
Sheridan's division, forming a part of the Third 
Corps, commanded by General Gilbert, marched to 
meet the enemy, who were falling back to Perryville. 
He found the Confederates under General Hardee, 
about fifteen thousand men, posted on the opposite 
side of a branch of the Chaplin River called " Doctor's 
Creek." At that time there was a drought which had 
dried up the small streams and springs of that part of 
the country, and Sheridan was ordered to push be- 
yond this creek, though it was partially dry, as the 
soldiers were suffering for water. In obedience to 
this order he crossed the creek, but found that in order 
to hold the ground it would be necessary to take a 
range of hills in front of Chaplin River, already oc- 
cupied by the enemy. Quickly putting two brigades 
in line, he ordered an advance and carried these 




^PALTON 



THE THEATER OF WAR IN KENTUCKY AND TENNESSEE. 



THE BATTLE OF PERRYVILLE 57 

heights with a rush that took the Confederates by 
surprise. He at once advanced his whole division and 
intrenched the heights with rifle-pits. This not only 
insured him water for his men, but gave him a strong 
and commanding position which proved of great value 
in the fight that followed. 

Finding that his men while intrenching were 
annoyed by the enemy's sharp-shooters, he ordered 
the latter driven back to their main lines. General 
Gilbert, who was on a hill a mile in the rear, seeing 
this skirmish, sent word to Sheridan not to bring on 
a battle. Sheridan signaled back, " I am not bring- 
ing on an engagement, but the enemy are apparently 
determined to do so. I expect an attack soon." See- 
ing the Confederates forming for battle on the opposite 
side of the stream, Sheridan recalled all of his men 
inside of his intrenchments just in time to receive the 
shock of battle. 

While moving along his lines encouraging the 
soldiers and seeing that they were snugly fixed in their 
rifle-pits, Sheridan was surprised to see the First 
Corps under General McCook advancing by a road 
and apparently wholly unconscious that the Con- 
federates were near. Sheridan tried in vain to inform 
McCook, by signals, of his danger. Suddenly the 
enemy dashed upon the unprepared lines, throwing 
them into great confusion. Though offering a brave 
resistance until late in the afternoon, the First Corps 
was too disorganized to do further duty during the 
battle. Sheridan sent a battery with six regiments to 
their assistance, but recalled them when he found that 



58 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

the Confederates were about to assault his own 
position on the heights. 

He had not long to wait. The enemy, with a fierce 
attack, almost reached his intrenchments. Sheridan 
passed among his men and encouraged them in his 
forceful manner to hold on and not to let the enemy 
take the ridge; and with a heavy fire of canister from 
his artillery swept the ground over which they were 
advancing. The enemy, saluted by this destructive 
fire, staggered back in dismay. Sheridan then brought 
up his reserve to occupy the intrenchments and with 
his division, with its flank supported by Mitchell's 
brigade, hurled the Confederate lines back to Perry- 
ville. This occurred about four o'clock and sub- 
stantially ended the fight, though firing continued until 
after dark. Sheridan was of the opinion that Buell 
did not comprehend the magnitude of his victory and 
should have brought up his idle troops to destroy the 
enemy. 

The significance of Sheridan's part in this battle 
was his readiness and clear-headed comprehension 
of the situation in an action that was dictated by sound 
principles of his profession, and his cool courage and 
his ability to command men. All this was a forecast 
of his brilliant later career. 

Earlier in the book there was mentioned a quarrel 
which he had at West Point with a Cadet Terrill. 
When Sheridan came to the West he fell in with 
iTerrill in the Union army. Though a Southerner, 
^Terrill had remained loyal to his country. Sheridan 
made the first advance to heal the quarrel, and they 



THE BATTLE OF PERRYVILLE 59 

became friends again. Unhappily, however, Terrill, 
while commanding a brigade under McCook, was 
killed in battle while bravely trying to rally his men 
when they were suddenly and unexpectedly attacked in 
the manner I have narrated in a preceding paragraph. 
Sheridan was very sorrowful over his untimely end. 

That afternoon the enemy retired from the Union 
front, and Sheridan followed them on the 9th. 
Bragg's army disappeared, leaving only a small rear 
guard, which got away after exchanging shots with a 
Union battery. 

While this was taking place a little daughter of 
Colonel Landram, whose home was near by, ran out 
of the house and, amidst the flying shot, fixed a small 
national flag on the battery. The incident was so full 
of patriotic devotion, that it appealed to the men and 
officers of the battery, and through all their later 
battles they carried this little flag as an inspiration and 
memento of Perry ville. 

The blunders of this campaign were attributed to 
General Buell, and shortly after he was relieved from 
command and General Rosecran's was given his place. 
After the battle of Perry ville the troops whom Gen- 
eral Gilbert had commanded during that battle were 
transferred to the command of Major-General Alex- 
ander McCook, and our little general was placed in 
command of the Third Division of the Twentieth' 
Army Corps. 

The following months were full of activity, lead- 
ing to the battle of Stone River before Murfreesboro, 
Tennessee. 



60 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

It may be said here that though he never paraded 
his feelings, Sheridan had a profound reverence for 
religion. Brought up in the Roman Catholic Church, 
he was yet open-minded to what was beautiful in any ' 
other faith. As a cadet at West Point he faithfully 
attended chapel services and there memorized many 
portions of the Episcopal Prayer Book. The prayer 
beginning " O God, who art the author of peace and 
lover of concord," he thought especially beautiful. 
To a member of President Garfield's Cabinet he once 
said, " This prayer was on my lips when I was going 
into battle at Cedar Creek." 

It is a curious fact, by the way, that none of the 
three greatest soldiers of the Civil War, — Grant, 
Sherman, or Sheridan, — was a lover of war. 

Sheridan's brilliancy on the battle-field has led 
people to overlook some of his soberer qualities, and 
even to think of him as rash and profane. He would 
dash ahead into a storm of shot and shell, shouting to 
'his men in the most passionate terms to follow him. 
He 'would, also, order his band to play some of the 
familiar ragtime music of that day when a battle was 
on. But the dash ahead was not bravado any more 
than the impassioned language was profanity or the 
ragtime music flippancy. They were all well calculated 
to help his men to win the victory. The music took 
their minds somewhat off the peril before them, his 
passionate language stirred their spirits, and his fear- 
less dash gave them courage to follow. 

Between battles this brilliant leader could plod with 
the soberest. He studied the country over which his 



THE BATTLE OF PERRYVILLE 61 

army must march or fight like a student at his lessons, 
acquainting himself in the most painstaking way with 
every hill, valley, stream, and road. He looked after 
the equipment and subsistence of his men as carefully 
as the solidest merchant looks after his business. He 
was one of those rare generals who could not only 
lead an army gallantly in battle, but could manage the 
less showy but not less necessary details that make and 
keep an army efficient. 

His temperament was a curious combination of cool- 
ness and ardor, and in the excitement of conflict he 
thought only of how he was to achieve a victory. He 
was patriotic to the core and loved his country with 
all the ardor of his great Irish heart. Her cause was 
more to him than life or ease. He was honest and 
faithful and conscientious in all his work, and did 
nothing in a pefunctory manner. As young Colonel 
Lowell said in one of his letters to his wife, " If he is 
not successful he deserves to be, for he works early 
and late." 



CHAPTER VI 
the battle of stone river (January, 1863) 

The retreat of the Confederates under General 
Bragg had transferred the theater of war to Ten- 
nessee, and Buell had concentrated his army at Bowl- 
ing Green preparatory to a march to Nashville. Sher- 
idan reached this place with his little division much 
reduced by battle and sickness. Here Buell was re- 
lieved from command, and General W. S. Rosecrans 
was appointed to take his place. Henceforth the army 
was to be known as " The Army of the Cumberland." 

Bragg was south of the Cumberland River threaten- 
ing Nashville. General Rosecrans concentrated the 
army around that city, where he could easily defeat 
the Confederates' threatening movements. Here 
Rosecrans began making preparations for a winter 
battle, which was something that the Confederates did 
not expect. They hardly realized it until the battle 
of Stone River was forced upon them. 

Sheridan went into camp just outside of the city at 
Edgefield, and made ready for the campaign about to 
begin. In this preparation no pains were too great for 
him to take, no information too minute for him to 
disregard. He began to drill his soldiers not only in 
common military maneuvers, but in scouting, forag- 
ing, picket and guard duty, changing the location of 

62 



THE BATTLE OF STONE RIVER 63 

the different brigades so as to make them all familiar 
with the country. In his foraging expeditions the 
men were required to carry only their blankets, that 
they might learn to shift for themselves with but little 
equipment. He familiarized himself with the country 
and the people. 

One day there came to his quarters a small, shrewd- 
looking man. 

" What," inquired Sheridan, " do you want here? " 

" Well, General, I thought that you might want 
me; I am acquainted all over this country." 

Sheridan was observant of the man and concluded 
almost at once that he did want him, or at least all the 
information that he could get from him. 

" What has been your business," asked Sheridan, 
" and what is your name? " 

" My name is James Card, and I have sold religious 
books over all the country. I am acquainted with the 
folks, — have preached to them and sometimes doctored 
them, as well as sold them tracts and books." 

" You are just the man I want ! " exclaimed Sher- 
idan. For he had made up his mind from the man's 
face and his answers that he was honest and loyal. 
And then he began asking him questions about the 
country. It did not take him long to find out that 
Card knew every ford and stream and road, and the 
people, their politics and their opinions — whether they 
were Loyalists or Confederates. The man was in- 
valuable to him in studying the topography of Middle 
Tennessee, which he knew was to be the scene of 
future battles in which he would be called upon to 



64 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

fight. It was in this painstaking manner that Sheridan 
prepared himself for future marches and battles. 

My young readers will see by his that Sheridan did 
not only fight battles, he made ready beforehand to 
insure victory. The general who knows the country 
where he is campaigning, its hills, fords, and roads, is 
prepared to win victories; and this thorough prepara- 
tion was one of the secrets of Sheridan's success as a 
general. In addition to this, however, he had a re- 
markable memory for the topography of a country 
that he had once examined. He seemed to carry in 
his mind a map of all its peculiarities, even when 
studied from maps. He knew his maps, had minute 
information as to roads and streams and how they 
could be crossed, knew the kind of people he would 
encounter and much more that was useful in his 
campaigns, and thus this battles were partly won be- 
fore they were fought. Success in war or peace does 
not come to fools or blunderers, but to the disciplined 
and well trained. 

Sheridan was fortunate in having for brigade com- 
manders men who were patriots as well as soldiers. 
One of these, General Sill, was a former classmate of 
Sheridan's at West Point; another was Colonel Fred- 
rick Schaefer, who has been a non-commissioned offi- 
cer in the German army ; also Colonel Roberts, an ideal 
soldier, as brave as he was young and handsome. 
These officers, who commanded brigades of four regi- 
ments each in Sheridan's division, were inspired with 
their leader's spirit of discipline and his own dauntless 
courage. All, officers as well as men, spared no efforts 



THE BATTLE OF STONE RIVER 65 

in preparing for the impending battle, signs of which 
began to multiply. By skirmishes and reconnoitering 
parties each army was trying to gain information of 
the position and intentions of the other. 

On the 25th of December, 1862, orders came to the 
Army of the Cumberland to move forward on Mur- 
freesboro, where the enemy was making preparations 
to go into winter quarters. It was hoped that in order 
to hold the place Bragg would accept battle here. By 
different routes the Union army, the day before Christ- 
mas, began its march in a pouring rain. As Sheridan 
neared the Confederate position, General Davis in- 
formed him that the enemy was in considerable force 
on a range of hills in his front, and asked his support 
in an attack that he was about to make. The attack 
was made, the hills captured, and the advance con- 
tinued. 

On the morning of the 30th Sheridan's division was 
within three miles of Murfreesboro. With two regi- 
ments he drove the pickets of the enemy back and, 
after rather serious fighting, secured such a position 
as it was desirable each division should occupy in the 
battle about to be fought. This was only after a 
stubborn dispute with the Confederates, in which the 
pop, pop, pop of muskets and the whiz and sputter 
of shell and solid shot from cannon did the talking. 
When, almost sundown, he gained the desired ground, 
Sill's brigade was in some timber, while Robert's 
brigade rested on the Wilkinson Pike and Schaefer's 
brigade on some high ground in the rear. 

At the time of the arrival of the Union army be- 



66 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

fore Murfreesboro, the Confederates had not dreamed 
that Rosecrans would attack the place before spring. 
General John H. Morgan, the noted raider, was being 
married in the city, and there were present at the 
ceremony President Jefferson Davis and many officers 
of high rank in the army. It was said that the floor 
was carpeted with an American flag on which the as- 
sembled party danced to show that they defied its 
authority. This party was interrupted by the arrival 
of Rosecrans. 

Rosecrans, calling his principal commanders to- 
gether in the evening at his headquarters on the Nash- 
ville pike, gave them their orders. His three army 
corps were commanded by Generals Crittenden, 
Thomas, and McCook. The plan of the Union com- 
mander was bold, simple, and brilliant. It was, in 
brief, to attack the Confederate right and drive it to- 
wards Murfreesboro. When this was done Critten- 
den's corps was to attack the Confederates in the rear. 
McCook, in whose corps was Sheridan's division, oc- 
cupied the right of the line; Thomas, the center; and 
Crittenden, the left. 

The enemy, under General Braxton Bragg, was be- 
tween the Union army and Stone River. In Sher- 
idan's front the Confederates were to be seen in strong 
force, occupying a thick cedar wood which extended 
the whole length of an open valley. 

Anxious for the outcome of the battle, Sheridan 
several times examined his lines from one end to the 
other, not only for the purpose of correcting any de- 
fect that might exist, but to encourage his men by his 



THE BATTLE OF STONE RIVER 67 

presence and to show them he was thoroughly awake 
to his duties. Then, with the coming of night, kin- 
dling a little fire for warmth, he lay down behind a 
fallen tree which partly protected him from the cold 
December winds. During the night Sill, who com- 
manded one of the brigades, awakened him to report 
that the Confederates were moving to the right with 
the apparent purpose of making an attack on our lines 
early in the morning. Sheridan thought that General 
McCook, in command of the corps, should know this, 
and so they both went to see him. 

"What is the matter?" inquired McCook as they 
roused him from his slumbers. 

" The rebs are moving men to the right, and, if I 
am not greatly mistaken, intend to make a heavy at- 
tack on Johnson's division in the morning." 

" Oh," said McCook, " I guess Johnson can take 
care of himself." 

" Well, General," said Sheridan, " if I was in your 
place I'd strengthen the line; but it is not my place to 
give advice, and of course you know best." 

But the general did not seem to think there was any 
necessity for making changes, and so Sheridan and 
Sill returned to their own lines. They moved two 
regiments within helping distance of Sill's brigade, as 
a preparation for what they believed to be an impend- 
ing attack, and then Sheridan returned to his little fire 
behind the fallen tree. 

Long before daylight Sheridan had his men eat 
their breakfast, and got his infantry in line and his 
cannoneers standing in readiness at their guns in 



68 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

anticipation of an early attack. Everything, mean- 
while, was as still as death in the cedars where the 
enemy lay. 

But he had not long to wait. Just before day was 
breaking, the Confederates, as he had anticipated, 
made a terrible attack on the right of the Union line. 
Johnson's division was driven back and torn into 
shreds by the furious assaults. At the same time they 
assaulted Sheridan's front. He had two batteries so 
placed that they had an oblique fire on the advancing 
foe, and, as the Confederates came on, the guns tore 
their ranks with shot and canister with terrible effect. 
Still, on they came, until within fifty yards of some 
timber where Sheridan's infantry lay, when with 
deadly aim and with repeated volleys they were mowed 
down. For a short time they bore this destructive 
fire, and then they broke and ran. The men com- 
manded by General Sill then charged and drove them 
back into the intrenchments from which they had 
so confidently come to drive the Union army before 
them. But, alas ! the brave Sill himself fell dead while 
leading his men in this furious charge. 

Although this was a great loss to Sheridan, yet the 
discomfiture of the Confederates was so great that 
time was gained in which to recall the brigade to its 
original position. It also gave him time to place 
Colonel Greusel of the Thirty-sixth Illinois in com- 
mand of Sill's brigade. 

The enemy advanced again, but this time on Sher- 
idan's right and on Woodruff's brigade of General 
Davis's division. Sheridan's center lines again drove 



THE BATTLE OF STONE RIVER 69 

the enemy back, but Woodruff gave away, and two of 
Sheridan's regiments were swept along with him; but 
these were rallied on the reserve regiments which 
Sheridan had, as we have elsewhere mentioned, placed 
there during the night before the battle. 

The prospect for the Union army now looked 
gloomy, and would have ended, no doubt, in its defeat, 
but for Sheridan's sturdy resistance and thoughtful 
foresight. Two of the Union divisions, Johnson's and 
Davis's, were practically out of the fight, for they had 
lost their formation and were hotly pursued by the 
Confederates. Sheridan, fearing a fire in reverse 
from the enemy, ordered Robert's brigade to charge. 
This checked them for a time and enabled Sheridan 
to take up a new position with his two other brigades 
on some high ground where his batteries had been 
posted all the morning. Here Davis tried to rally his 
shattered brigade on his right, but could not. They 
fell back until they were rallied behind General 
Thomas's sturdy lines near the Wilkinson Pike. 

The Confederate turning movement that was then 
being executed put Sheridan in danger of being sur- 
rounded or enveloped, and under a heavy fire he 
moved his division once more to the right of another 
division which had remained undisturbed. Here he 
posted his batteries on a rocky ridge facing towards 
Murfreesboro, and then aligned most of his men fac- 
ing nearly west along the edge of a cedar thicket. 
The enemy, meanwhile, took possession of the ground 
from which Sheridan had retreated. 

He had hardly got to this new position when, whew! 



70 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

again forward rushed the Confederates under Cheat- 
ham, striking Sheridan's left, while dark masses of 
troops under Hardee, assisted by batteries, attacked at 
the same time his right, and the intrenchments of 
Murfreesboro opened with prodigious clamor their 
artillery fire on his lines. Sheridan's position was a 
good one, and his men, though they lost heavily, be- 
lieving in their young general were confident. The 
contending lines were not over two hundred yards 
apart when the enemy made the assault just men- 
tioned. Sheridan gave the approaching foe shell and 
canister from his artillery and hurled them back. The 
shot from the enemy's artillery struck the rocks in his 
front and bounded and rebounded over them, with 
fatal results to many of his men. But though the 
Confederates had heavily reinforced their lines, Sher- 
idan repulsed them again and again, until at last they 
gave up the combat as hopeless. 

While this was going on Sheridan received a mes- 
sage from General Rosecrans directing him to hold 
on where he was, that he might have time to form a 
new line of battle. To his brigade commanders Sher- 
idan said, " We must hold this line, no matter what 
the consequences are; the safety of the whole army 
depends upon us." 

As assault after assault tore the ranks, they stood 
immovable as stone or iron. The terrible cry, how- 
ever, ran down the line, " Our ammunition is giving 
out ! " " Reserve your fire, then, all you can," was 
Sheridan's command, " and fix your bayonets for a 
charge." 



THE BATTLE OF STONE RIVER 71 

Three assaults, one after the other, were made by 
the Confederates on Sheridan's depleted lines. Fight- 
ing like a wounded lion he drove them back, though 
not without awful losses, in defeat and confusion. 
He had on his death roll three brigade commanders, — 
General Sill, the young and gallant Roberts, and Har- 
rington, who had taken Roberts' place, — besides scores 
of subordinate officers and men. Though Sheridan ex- 
posed himself at the most critical parts of his lines, he 
seemed to bear a charmed life and escaped unhurt. By 
his tenacious and brave resistance, he gave Rosecrans 
time to make a new line of battle. They were precious 
moments wrung from the clutches of death and 
disaster. 

A lull succeeded the storm of battle, and Sheridan, 
knowing that his whole force was in danger of being 
captured, prepared to retire as soon as the Union 
troops should arrive on his right. When these men 
had at last taken up that line, two of his brigades 
were without cartridges to fire a musket. The gen- 
eral grimly ordered them to fix their bayonets for a 
charge if the enemy should interfere with them, while 
they slowly fell back to the Nashville Pike. 

Eighty horses in one of his batteries had been killed 
and the battery had to be abandoned, as the ground was 
too rocky to pull the guns away by hand. His other 
battery had lost most of its horses, but was saved. 
One-third of the men of his division were dead or 
wounded, and soon after he lost his third brigade 
commander, the brave General Schaefer. 

His men, however, were not done with fighting for 



72 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

that day. The division came out with its ranks un- 
broken, though thinned by wounds and death. When 
they had got through the cedars and had reached open 
ground, Roberts' brigade, commanded by Colonel 
Bradley, was sent to repel any attempt of the Con- 
federates to interrupt the communications of the 
Union army. Though they had but two cartridges to 
each man, they charged and recaptured two pieces of 
artillery abandoned by the Union troops. Two of his 
regiments also were supplied with fresh ammunition 
and sent to aid the right of Palmer's division. 

Afterwards withdrawing these regiments to assist 
another line, Sheridan advanced them through some 
woods while exposed to a terrific fire, and checked the 
Confederates. Then, falling back to the edge of the 
wood, he prepared to repel a charge. 

While lying here Rosecrans, with some of his staff, 
rode up and Sheridan joined him, as he rode out to 
supervise the formation of the new line and encourage 
the men by his presence. The Confederates, seeing 
this party of mounted officers, began throwing shell 
into the group. One of these shot carried away the 
head of Colonel Garesche, Rosecrans Chief-of-Staff, 
and killed and wounded two or three more of the 
party. 

No other attack of any consequence was made dur- 
ing the afternoon. But the next morning, shortly 
after daybreak, the Confederates resumed the attack 
by making a feeble charge on Sheridan's front. The 
battle, however, was substantially over, and on the 
night of January 3, 1863, Bragg and his army re- 



THE BATTLE OF STONE RIVER n 

treated from Murfreesboro, General Rosecrans oc- 
cupying the town. 

This battle and its day of trial had demonstrated 
Sheridan's ability to command, and had given to his 
officers and men more confidence in their general. 
That single engagement had also made them veterans. 
It had been a fierce struggle, indescribable in words, 
against great odds; but it was a struggle that made 
history, and which brought Sheridan far to the front 
as a commander; for he had been tried by fire and 
had not been found wanting. The terrible ordeal had 
not dispirited his men, and after the fall of their 
brigade commanders they had obeyed Sheridan as if 
on parade. 

While Sheridan exacted faithful service from his 
officers and men, he was deeply affected by the loss of 
so many of his brave soldiers. When, after the battle, 
he reported to General Rosecrans, he said, while tears 
ran down his face, " This is all there is left of them, 
General!" 

Of Rosecrans' army more than seven thousand were 
missing at roll call. Sheridan's effective force at the 
battle of Stone River was 4154 officers and men. Of 
that number he lost, in killed, wounded, and missing, 
1633, — the largest proportional casualties of any 
battle he ever fought. Rosecrans reported his total 
loss in killed and wounded to be 8778, while Bragg 
acknowledged a loss of ten thousand. 



CHAPTER VII 

drilling and campaigning (January to 
September, 1863) 

That war is the science of barbarians was admitted 
even by a general like Napoleon, and there have been 
numerous unjust and unnecessary wars. But the war 
for the Union was a war for national existence and 
was redeemed from barbarism by self-sacrifice and 
heroic patriotism, by the devotion of thousands of 
lives that the nation might live. All men, doubtless, 
have fear of death and wounds, though a man like 
Sheridan might say, " My anxiety for the results of a 
battle overcame my fears." It is not cowardly to be 
frightened on going into battle, but it is a coward who 
runs away because he is afraid. 

In the battle which Sheridan had just fought, most 
of his men were brave and faithful. A few, however, 
proved cowardly and deserted their flag in face of 
danger. Such an act imperiled not only victory but 
the lives of those who were faithful. Among those 
of Sheridan''s divisions who deserted their colors were 
four officers. Having fully established the guilt of 
these men, Sheridan determined to make an example 
of them. Drawing his soldiers up in a hollow square, 
with the four deserters in the center, he spoke to the 
latter as follows: " I will not humiliate any of my 

74 



DRILLING AND CAMPAIGNING 75 

brave men by requiring them to touch your dishonored 
persons or your swords. They are brave men and 
shall not be polluted by such contact." He then direced 
his negro servant to take their swords and cut away 
their buttons and shoulder-straps. Thus disgraced, 
they were drummed out of camp to the tune of the 
" Rogues' March," amid contempt and derision. It 
was a mortifying but necessary spectacle, and it is 
almost needless to say that after that no man of that 
division ever deserted his colors. I have no doubt that 
such disgrace was worse than death to even these 
cowardly officers. 

Stone River was called by some of the troops " the 
furnace of affliction." The effects of the victory were 
encouraging; it strengthened the Emancipation Proc- 
lamation of President Lincoln, and inspired con- 
fidence in the triumph of the national cause. 

After this battle the Army of the Cumberland went 
into winter quarters at Murfreesboro. Here General 
Rosecrans received and published a dispatch to his 
army from President Lincoln, saying: " God bless you 
and all of you. Please tender to all, and accept for 
yourself, a nation's gratitude for their skill and 
endurance." General Halleck, as General-in-Chief, 
also sent a dispatch, saying : " The field of Mur- 
freesboro is made historical. You have won the 
gratitude of your country and the admiration of the 
world. All honor to the Army of the Cumberland." 
The War Department did not content itself alone with 
compliments to the Army of the Cumberland and its 
commander; it sent them all the men available to 



?6 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

recruit their ranks. About fourteen thousand under 
General Granger were sent from Kentucky. 

The battle had been disastrous to the operations of 
the Confederates in the central South, and to their 
position in East Tennessee and in the Mississippi 
Valley, lopping off, as it did, another great section of 
the Confederacy. 

In his report, Rosecrans did justice to the skill and 
courage of Sheridan, recommending his promotion to 
the rank of major-general. He received praise on 
every side for his part in the battle. Even the Con- 
federate rank and file, who fought against him, formed 
a high estimate of his fighting qualities. Many of 
them did not like General Bragg, who had a habit of 
shooting his soldiers for small offenses. 

A story is told illustrative of what the Tennesseeans 
thought of Sheridan's fighting. A " reb " worn out 
with marching and fighting, and quite discouraged, 
without shoes, hat, or coat, had at last with a black 
clay pipe in his mouth for consolation, got astride of a 
lean mule, when General Bragg and a member of his 
staff met him on the road and the following conversa- 
tion is reported to have taken place : 

"Who are you?" inquired the general. 

" Nobody, I reckon," responded the " reb." 

" Where did you come from? " 

" Nowhere at all." 

" Where are you going to? " 

" Doggoned if I can tell." 

"Where do you belong?" 

" Wish you'uns would tell me." 



DRILLING AND CAMPAIGNING 77 

"Don't you belong to Bragg's army?" 

" Bragg's army? Bragg? Why, he hain't got no 
army," replied the " reb," " biggest part of it was 
chewed up in Kentucky, and the rest, I reckon, was 
whipped to death by that doggoned little whelp of a 
Sheridan at Murfreesboro." 

It is said that Bragg rode away without asking any 
more questions. 

The remainder of the winter was passed in drill, 
parades, foraging, and reconnaisances, and in build- 
ing fortifications for the defense of Murfreesboro. 
My young readers may think that a great general has 
nothing to do while in camp but wear a fine uniform 
and ride a horse. But a general has great respon- 
sibilities; and even when in winter quarters both he 
and his officers and men are kept constantly busy from 
morning until night with many duties. 

During this season Sheridan sent his scout, 
Card, with a party of loyal Tennesseeans to burn the 
bridges in the Crow Creek Valley. For many weeks 
these men did not return. Sheridan, becoming very 
anxious about them, sent a younger brother of Card's 
who had remained in camp to find out where he was. 
The boy did not return at the time he was expected, 
but shortly after Card and his party came into camp. 
They had crossed the Cumberland Mountains to Crow 
Creek Valley and had been captured by guerrillas and 
put into prison as Yankee spies. They had escaped 
from the prison, crossed the Tennessee River, and, 
after many hardships and with the help of loyal Ten- 
nesseeans, had at last reached Murfreesboro again. 



78 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

Card's first question to Sheridan was, " Where is 
my brother ? " Sheridan told him that in his anxiety 
about him he had sent him to make inquiries. When 
Card heard this he said, with the deepest emotion : 
" The boy is dead. The guerrillas have killed him- 
and I am going for them! In spite of Sheridan's 
persuasions Card soon after left his service to pros- 
ecute his revenge on those who had killed his 
brother. The next that Sheridan saw of him, he was 
at the head of some resolute-looking men who were 
to make it their work to punish the guerrillas, near 
his home, who he seemed to know had killed his 
brother. The lines between loyal and rebel Ten- 
nesseeans were sharply drawn and but little mercy was 
shown by either side during the war. 

During the winter the Confederates constantly inter- 
rupted the communication of the army by breaking 
the railroad with their cavalry and interfering with 
supplies on the Cumberland River. In order to supply 
his army with forage, Sheridan sent out scouts to 
locate grain, followed by a foraging party to collect 
it. This collection sometimes had to be done under 
lire from the enemy's skirmishers. Even on expedi- 
tions against the Confederates he sometimes took 
empty wagons to be filled with corn and sent back to 
Murfreesboro. Illustrative of this was an expedition 
on the 4th of March. 

Colonel Coburn with cavalry had moved to attack 
Spring Hill, a place" thirty miles from Nashville. At 
Thompson Station he had a fight with the entire rebel 
force under Van Dorn and Forrest, and his whole 



DRILLING AND CAMPAIGNING 79 

force surrendered. While this was going on Sheridan 
was out on a ten days' scout, and had taken with him 
some empty wagons to be filled with corn. He had 
with him Minty's cavalry, for the purpose of aiding 
him in a reconnaissance towards Shelbyville. One 
regiment was ahead of these empty wagons and the 
rest of his brigade in the rear. The enemy came out, 
as he had anticipated, thinking to capture easily the 
wagons and possibly the regiment. But there was 
where they got into a trap. Sheridan turned his 
wagons on to a cross road, when whew! from behind 
them came his cavalry followed by his whole division ! 
Thus attacked the Confederates broke and ran in con- 
fusion and were pursued to the very outposts of 
Shelbyville. Several wagons and fifty Confederates 
were captured, and Sheridan's wagons filled with corn 
almost under the noses of the enemy was sent safely 
back to Murfreesboro. 

Sheridan than advanced to Spring Hill to make if 
possible some reprisals for the capture of Coburn and 
his men. But the Confederates under Van Dorn 
hastily fell back across Duck Creek, which, being 
swollen with rain, it was not prudent for him to cross. 

In January Sheridan had received his commission 
as major-general, and he was naturally much gratified 
by this recognition of his services ; though it was only 
about a year previous to this that he thought a colonel's 
commission " good enough for him." The brigades 
of his division were commanded as follows : First 
Brigade, Brigadier W. H. Lytle; Second Brigade, 
Colonel Bernard Laiboldt; Third Brigade, Colonel 



80 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

Luther P. Bradley. Three of Sheridan's batteries of 
artillery were commanded by Captain Hescock. Four 
of his companies of cavalry by Colonel L. D. Watkins. 
In addition to these were twelve companies of mounted 
infantry. 

As spring advanced there was a lull on both sides 
in the Department of the Cumberland. It was the 
treacherous calm that precedes a storm. 

A great campaign is sometimes more a trial of wits 
between the opposing commanders, than a trial by 
battle. This was true of that which followed, known 
as the Tullahoma campaign. In June the main part 
of Bragg's force was north of Duck River. Their 
front was a series of fortified camps, extending as far 
as Spring Hill and Columbia on the left and as Mc- 
Minnville on the right. By a feint, or make-believe 
movement, Rosecrans made Bragg think that he was 
about to attack his left wing, and then moved most of 
his army upon the right of the Confederate line. This 
turned the flank of Bragg's army and compelled him 
to fall back to Tullahoma. Bragg, seeing that the 
game was lost, abandoned the place and was soon in 
full retreat across the Cumberland Mountains. By 
this maneuver of Rosecrans', he was driven from 
middle Tennessee in a campaign that took but eight 
days. 

Having briefly outlined this general movement, we 
will now turn to Sheridan's special part in the 
campaign. When the forward movement, to maneuver 
Bragg from his strong position was ordered, McCook's 
corps, of which Sheridan's division formed a part. 



DRILLING AND CAMPAIGNING 81 

was under arms before sunrise on June 24. Sher- 
idan's division started out in a furious rain, march- 
ing over the Shelbyville road until it it came in sight 
of the enemy. Though savagely attacked by the Con- 
federate sharpshooters and artillery, Sheridan obeyed 
his instructions not to return fire, but halted and 
bivouacked on both sides of the road. In the morn- 
ing he marched to the little village of Millersburg, 
where he encamped for the night, and next day to 
Hover's Gap, a pass in the hills through which ran 
the road from Murfreesboro to Tullahoma. 

Here let me explain to my readers that Hover's Gap 
and Liberty Gap were the keys to the Confederate 
position which, if possessed by the Union troops, 
would compel the retreat of the Confederate army. 
It was by passing through these gaps that the Con- 
federate position was flanked, as I have just stated. 

After passing through Hover's Gap Sheridan 
encountered the enemy's cavalry and infantry in small 
force, and on August 29 he was in front of Tullahoma. 
Here Rosecrans' whole army was concentrated by the 
31st. When the Union army reached the fortifications 
on the 1st of July, the Confederates were gone, leav- 
ing only a small force to cover or protect their retreat. 
Sheridan took possession of the town, capturing some 
prisoners and three siege guns. 

That same evening orders were given to push on 
after the fleeing enemy. Sheridan pursued with great 
energy until he reached the Elk River, which he found 
so swollen with rains that all hope of crossing was 
abandoned. Not to be baffled by this, he crossed Rock 



82 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

Creek and marched up the Elk River to cross the creek 
at a ford of which Card had told him. After a sharp 
skirmish with the enemy guarding the ford, he 
stretched a rope across the creek, which was turbulent 
and swollen with the rains, so that his men, with their 
ammunition on their shoulders and heads, could steady 
themselves while crossing and keep their powder dry. 
Having at last made the crossing, he marched down 
the left bank of the Elk River, driving the Con- 
federates from some fortifications and regaining once 
more the Winchester Road. 

The retreat of Bragg's army from Tullahoma 
virtually ended this campaign, which gave middle Ten- 
nessee into the possession of the loyal authorities, 
again lessening the area of Confederate control. 
Bragg, after his hasty retreat, concentrated his army 
at Chattanooga, which is the gateway of the Cumber- 
land Mountains. He knew that the Union army must 
make an aggressive campaign to get possession of it; 
while he could stand on the defensive. To attack him 
there, Rosecrans would be obliged to cross the Cum- 
berland Mountains and the Tennessee River. Bragg 
must hold his position there, as Chattanooga is the 
key of East Tennessee as well as of Northern Georgia. 
As will be seen, great efforts were thereafter made by 
the Confederates to hold this strategic point, even to 
the reinforcement of Bragg's army by Longstreet's 
corps from the Army of Northern Virginia and other 
sources, until it numbered eight-one thousand men. 

Here let me explain that in its general outline the 
campaigns of the Western armies must not be regarded 



DRILLING AND CAMPAIGNING 83 

as isolated movements or battles. They were definite 
parts of the great general plan to subdue the rebellion 
and restore the national government over its own ter- 
ritory. The general movement begun by Grant at 
Shiloh and closed at Missionary Ridge in 1863 were 
parts of the plan which preserved Kentucky to the 
Union, opened the Mississippi River from its source 
to the Gulf, kept Nashville in the Union possession, 
opened the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers, and, by 
capturing and holding Chattanooga, opened the gate- 
way to Georgia through which Sherman marched to 
Atlanta and the sea. 

In the campaign which I have but faintly mirrored, 
Sheridan's division did its share of hard, toilsome 
work. Though not the kind of work which exacted 
the dogged and stubborn qualities required at Perry- 
ville and Stone River, it called for clear foresight in 
dangerous marches, bold tactics, ability to inspire men 
with patience, courage, and fortitude of a high quality. 
Sheridan has been thought by those not thoroughly 
familiar with his wonderful career as a general, to be 
simply great as a fighter. But he was more than that. 
His plans for a campaign and his action in great 
emergencies were governed by a foresight that seemed 
preternatural. His apparent recklessness at times was 
based upon carefully calculated plans, which showed 
him to be not simply a born fighter but a great general. 



CHAPTER VIII 
the battle of chickamauga (September, 1863) 

National interest was now centered on Rosecrans' 
army marching to Chattanooga and Grant's army 
pounding away at the gates of Vicksburg. Grant had 
expressed fears that if Rosecrans remained inactive, 
Bragg might reinforce Johnston, who was hovering in 
his rear, and recruit his army with the purpose of 
attacking the Union army besieging Vicksburg. 
Rosecrans, when urged to more activity, had defended 
himself by declaring that it was against the principles 
of war to fight two decisive battles at the same time. 
He further argued that by pushing Bragg's army into 
Georgia, the Confederates could more easily reinforce 
Johnston by the use of their interior lines. There are 
reasons to believe that Sheridan agreed with Rosecrans 
in these views. 

A part of the purpose of Rosecrans in the Tullahoma 
campaign was the final possession of Chattanooga, 
which, as we have already said, was important in the 
further prosecution of the war. Though urged both 
by General Halleck and President Lincoln to follow up 
Bragg's army at once after the Tullahoma campaign, 
Rosecrans wished first to repair the Nashville and 
Chattanooga Railroad, which was important for sup- 
plying his army from Nashville. In his further ad- 

84 



L THE BATTLE OF CHICKAMAUGA 85 

vance to Chattanoga, Rosecran had before him a dif- 
ficult task : He must pass the Tennessee River, the 
wide plateau of Sand Mountain, and the formidable 
heights of the Lookout range. He executed this opera- 
tion with a skill and success that places it among the 
great strategic movements of war. 

Bridgeport on the Tennessee River was selected as 
a temporary depot of subsistence for the army, and also 
as one of the places at which to cross the Tennessee. 
Sheridan was ordered to. take station at Stevenson, 
Alabama, to protect the railroads that form a junction 
there, and also to occupy Bridgeport. By the last of 
August supplies had been accumulated at the latter 
place, and a forward movement of the army was 
ordered. 

Assisted by the Michigan engineer corps, Sheridan 
built two bridges across the Tennessee. Pontoons 
had been sent to him, but there were not boats enough 
to span the river. The center of these bridges, where 
the water was swift and deep, he built on pontoon 
boats; while the ends, where the water was more 
shallow, were trestled with logs cut in the adjacent 
woods. The flooring, or a large part of it, was made 
from the material taken from near-by barns and other 
buildings. Sheridan's division crossed on these bridges 
on the 2d and 3d of September, and marched to Valley 
Head, the point where McCook corps was ordered to 
concentrate. Sheridan arrived there on the 10th, 
climbed Lookout Mountain, encamped on the plateau 
at Indian Falls, and on the next day marched down 
the Broomtown valley to Alpine. 



86 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

Rosecrans had ordered this march under the mis- 
taken impression that the enemy was retreating from 
Chattanooga. The scattered, disconnected condition 
of the army gave great uneasiness to Sheridan, and 
previous to this he had sent a scout recommended to 
him by Card, inside of Bragg's lines to learn what 
was going on there, and also to find out if possible 
what Bragg's intentions were. The scout had no diffi- 
culty in getting inside of the enemy's lines; but to get 
back, with the desired information, was another mat- 
ter. He was arrested as a Yankee spy and placed un- 
der guard. He succeeded in escaping one dark night 
by crawling beyond the sentinels by. imitating the 
movements and grunts of a hog. He brought back 
the important information that Bragg intended to 
fight, and that his army was about to be reinforced 
by Longstreet's veteran corps from the Army of 
Northern Virginia. 

By this time it had become apparent to Rosecrans 
and his commanders that the Confederate movement 
was not a retreat, as at first had been supposed, but 
concentration, with the intention of striking the Union 
army while in its scattered condition and before it 
could concentrate its dissevered parts. When the error 
upon which the march had been ordered was per- 
ceived, the army at once began a retrograde movement 
with all possible celerity. The part of McCook's corps 
that had got to the Broomtown valley was ordered to 
the top of Lookout Mountain. The retrograde move- 
ment was difficult and exhausting, it being at times 
necessary to draw the artillery and baggage wagons 



THE BATTLE OF CHICKAMAUGA 87 

up the steep grades by hand and to let them down by 
the same process.- 

Bragg, meanwhile, appears to have had a very clear 
conception of the situation of the Union army. In 
his report he says, " Thrown off his guard by our 
rapid movement, apparently in retreat, when in reality 
we had concentrated opposite his center, and deceived 
by deserters and others sent into his lines, the enemy 
pressed on his columns to intercept us, and thus ex- 
posed himself in detail." 

The three corps of the Union army were from twelve 
to fifteen miles apart, and were nearer Bragg's com- 
pact force than each other. This offered to the Con- 
federate commander an opportunity seldom presented 
in war, that of striking an enemy whose parts were 
scattered while his own forces were united and within 
striking distance. Bragg failed to avail himself fully 
of this advantage, and by good fortune, rather than 
design, Rosecrans escaped the greater peril of this 
situation. 

On the 1 8th of September the two armies were fac- 
ing each other on the opposite sides of Chickamauga 
Creek, whose Indian name is said to signify " The 
River of Death." The battle began at ten o'clock on 
the morning of the 19th. That my readers may get a 
clearer understanding of Sheridan's part in it, let me 
first outline its general phases. 

It was General Bragg's design to crush the Union 
left and seize the road to Chattanooga. This would 
not only give him possession of Chattanooga, but 
Would cut off the Union army from its base of sup- 



88 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

plies and defeat it, for an army can go only so far as 
it can get food and ammunition. From the mountains 
Bragg could see the movements of the Union army 
and therefore had the advantage of knowing where 
best to strike it. During the campaign Bragg had ex- 
pressed, however, his dissatisfaction with campaign- 
ing in a mountainous country by saying : " Who can 
tell what is behind that hill? It is like a plastered 
house full of rat-holes; the rats are likely to pop out 
anywhere." 

Thomas held the left of the Union lines, Crittenden 
the center, and McCook's corps, to which Sheridan's 
division belonged, the right. 

The Confederates crossed the creek without oppo- 
sition and attacked the left of the Union army. The 
battle was fiercely contested. Thomas's lines were 
forced back by the terrible assault of the Confederates, 
but stood like a rock, though moved from its base, as 
solid as ever. On the morning of the 20th the fight 
was resumed. Bragg's plan was the same as the day 
before, to crush the left of Rosecrans' army and 
drive back the center and then, by a wheeling move- 
ment, throw the right of his own army across the 
path to Chattanooga. In carrying out this plan he 
failed, for a lion stood in his path. Though assailed 
by overwhelming numbers, Thomas still stubbornly 
and skillfully held all the essential parts of his line. 

The fight might have resulted in a Union victory but 
for a miswritten and misunderstood order, by which 
General Wood was made to withdraw from the Union 
lines at a critical moment. Longstreet, the ablest field 



THE BATTLE OF CHICKAMAUGA 89 

commander of the Confederates, perceiving the gap 
thus left open, rushed forward his veteran troops to 
interpose between the severed lines. The Union 
center was smashed, and it looked as though the whole 
army was to be destroyed. But about dark the last 
charge of the Confederates was repelled with a coun- 
ter charge and the battle was substantially over. 
Thomas fell back to Rossville, leaving the enemy in 
possession of the terrible field, and during the follow- 
ing day retired to Chattanooga. 

Having briefly outlined the battle, let us turn to 
Sheridan and portray with more minuteness his part 
on this terrible field of blood. On the 17th, after the 
army was virtually concentrated, Sheridan remained 
in line of battle all day at McLamore's Cove. Here 
he had some vigorous skirmishing with the enemy, 
who were demonstrating against him. On the 18th 
he encamped at Pond Spring, and on the 19th took po- 
sition in line of battle at Crawford Springs, to protect 
the right and rear. Here, finding he was in danger of 
being cut off from the main army, he was directed to 
hold the ford at Lee and Gordon's Mills on Chicka- 
mauga Creek, and this brought him again in close 
contact with the rest of the army. His march to this 
place was hindered somewhat by the cavalry skirmish- 
ers of the Confederates on the west side of the creek, 
who annoyed the right flank of his division on its 
march. 

On his arrival he found that the enemy with a small 
force was about to take possession of the ford, which 
had been left uncovered. Sheridan's men drove the 



90 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

enemy back and recovered the ford. Leaving a bri- 
gade to guard it, he marched with Laiboldt's and Brad- 
ley's brigades about a mile and a half north, to help 
Crittenden's corps, whose troops were fighting the 
enemy. Davis's division had just been defeated and 
driven back by the enemy along the west banks of the 
Chickamauga. So savage had been Davis's repulse 
that one of his batteries of artillery was left behind 
him when driven back. The contest was still going on 
when Sheridan, with colors flying and with confident 
steadiness, charged across an open field, rushed upon 
the enemy, recovered Davis's batteries, and drove the 
Confederates back. Laiboldt's brigade had, mean- 
while, joined in the fight, and, after an ugly contest 
and with heavy loss, regained the ground which was 
Davis's original position before being driven back. 
Bradley was wounded and his loss was heavy, but 
when the brigade which he had left at the ford re- 
joined him, he suggested to General Crittenden that 
a general attack be made on the Confederate lines. 
But, as his troops had been fighting all day, that gen- 
eral thought it would not be prudent. 

To counteract the attempt of the enemy to turn the 
Union left, the movement to the left was continued 
and Sheridan, by skillfully shifting his brigades from 
right to left in succession, reached a position near the 
.Widow Glen's house. After seeing his division settled 
down on this new line for the night, he rode to head- 
quarters, where nearly all the general officers of the 
army were congregated. Here he learned of the fail- 
ure of the Confederates to drive Thomas from his po- 



THE BATTLE OF CHICKAMAUGA 91 

sition. It looked gloomy for the morrow, for it was 
learned that Longstreet with his veteran corps from 
Lee's army had now arrived to assist Bragg, and that 
at the dawn of another day the Confederates would 
greatly outnumber the Union army. As they had 
barely held their own during the day that was past, 
this naturally caused anxiety and apprehension for 
the results of the battle of the coming day. The fore- 
bodings were intensified by the necessity of moving 
men to the left in the presence of a foe which was 
trying to break through the Union lines and wedge a 
column between the right and left of the moving di- 
visions. This movement, though contrary to military 
principles, was demanded by the necessity of protect- 
ing the left flank of the Union army. Necessity has 
no rules, and though such a movement is dangerous to 
an army, it was apparently its only resource of safety. 

When morning dawned, a dense fog obscured the 
contestants from each other. Rosecrans took advan- 
tage of this obscurity to re-form the right of the 
Union army. Sheridan drew back and made a barri- 
cade of rails and logs behind which to shelter his 
division, which was isolated from the force on his 
left. While he remained here undisturbed for several 
hours, the interval between him and the main army 
was widening and he sent one of his brigades to fill 
the gap. But finding that Davis's division was occu- 
pying the position he had been ordered to take, with 
his usual forethought he formed the brigade on the 
crest of a low hill to protect Davis's right flank. 

It was at this time that he was ordered to the assist- 



92 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

ance of General Thomas's hard-pressed lines on the 
extreme left. He moved at a double quick to obey the 
order. Longstreet's veterans had, however, penetrated 
the interval left open and disrupted the line into con- 
fused masses. One of Sheridan's brigades charged 
through this mass of men, but all in vain, for when a 
force is struck on its flank it is driven into huddles 
and cannot fight. The brigade broke and went to the 
rear in disorder. As the confused and broken regi- 
ments were falling back, Sheridan re-formed his men 
under a terrific fire, to stem the tide of defeat that was 
sweeping the Union columns to destruction and de- 
feat. But these steady veterans, who had never broken 
in battle, now, in their turn, received a deadly fire 
and their formation was shivered into fragments. 
Sheridan rode among them entreating and ordering 
them to reform. Under his stimulating presence and 
at the voice of their popular commander, his men 
formed in the face of defeat, attacked the enemy, 
drove them before them, retook the ridge, and cap- 
tured the colors of the twenty-fourth Alabama. 

But the hill could not be held by this little force, in 
the face of Longstreet's veterans and overwhelming 
advantage of numbers and position ; and at last it was 
yielded and the force driven back with lamentable loss 
of men and officers, among whom was the loved Gen- 
eral Lytle, who was killed while leading his brigade. 
Sheridan reorganized their shattered ranks and once 
more aligned them in battle order, beyond the Widow 
Glen house, on some low hills behind a road. 

McCook's and Crittenden's corps were defeated; 



THE BATTLE OF CHICKAMAUGA 93 

the whole right wing of the Union army was swept 
away. General Rosencrans, believing that all was 
lost, was riding behind Sheridan's lines on his way to 
Chattanoogo, and sent word that he wished to see him ; 
but Sheridan could not at that critical moment leave 
his division. 

Sheridan discovered that the Confederates were en- 
deavoring to cut him off from Chattanooga by driving 
in between his brigade and the main army. He de- 
feated this attempt by moving back to the southern 
face of Missionary Ridge, where he was separated 
from the rest of the army. From here he marched to 
Rossville, which he reached two hours before sun- 
down, bringing with him a long, ammunition train, 
eight pieces of light artillery, and forty-six caissons, 
rescued from the wreck of the battle that we have de- 
scribed. On this way to join Thomas, — which he did 
at 6 o'clock in the evening, — he captured several of the 
field hospitals of the Confederates, and then reported 
the presence of his force to General Thomas, and 
asked for orders. That old hero said but little, as 
they sat in the corner of a worm fence, but was of the 
opinion that it would be useless to attack the enemy 
that night. 

Notwithstanding that affairs looked critical for the 
morrow's fight, Sheridan lay on the bare ground and 
was soon in a deep sleep, from which he did not awake 
till daylight. Fortunately, the enemy did not attack 
in the morning; for they, too, had met with terrible 
losses and their forces were shattered and much dis- 
organized. This pause in battle gave L Thomas, who 



94 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

was commanding the army in the absence of Rose- 
crans, an opportunity to get the disorganized forces in 
order. Rosecrans, McCook, and Crittenden were in 
Chattanooga, and that fact discouraged those who 
knew it. This caused the army to move back within 
our lines at Chattanooga, leaving the bloody field of 
battle to the Confederates. But though the field was 
theirs, it proved a barren victory, for the Union army 
held the prize for which the battle was waged, — Chat- 
tanooga. 

The losses of both armies had been frightful. The 
total loss of Rosecrans' army was 16,179, of which 
loss 1656 were killed and 9749 were wounded. 
Bragg's official report says he lost forty per cent of 
his army; which makes his killed and wounded over 
twenty thousand. 

Our hero had acquitted himself with great credit, 
although he was heard to complain bitterly that he had 
not got a chance to fight. To almost any one but 
Sheridan his chance of fighting would have been quite 
sufficient. 

Sheridan was of the opinion that if Thomas had 
held on and had attacked the enemy the afternoon 
when he joined him, the Confederates would have 
abandoned the field. Undoubtedly, if Sheridan had 
been in command of the forces on the field, he would 
have done so and possibly have won a victory for the 
Union. 



CHAPTER IX 

SHERIDAN AT CHATTANOOGA 

On the 22nd of September, 1863, Sheridan, with 
his division, took position within the strong intrench- 
ments near the iron works, and under the very shadow 
of Lookout Mountain, at Chattanooga. The " Gate 
City " is situated on the Tennessee River, which at 
this point forms a loop not unlike the letter S. On 
the land formed by the lower part of this S is the city 
of Chattanooga, while within the upper part is a 
promontory known as Moccasin Point. On every side 
is a grand and mighty landscape, — bold, rugged, and 
picturesque. Standing in the city and looking across 
the river and Moccasin Point one sees the Raccoon 
range of mountains; on the left is Lookout Mountain, 
whose precipitous banks come down to the level near 
the river, where Sheridan had his encampment, while 
in the rear is the famed Missionary Ridge. 

When the Army of the Cumberland had retreated 
to Chattanooga, the Confederates had slowly followed 
and, by taking position at Lookout Mountain and at 
Missionary Ridge and sending their cavalry under 
Wheeler north of the Tennessee River, had put the 
town in a state of siege. As Bridgeport was the base 
of supplies for the Union army, it could get food and 
forage only by a circuitous route of sixty miles over 

95 



96 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

the Cumberland Mountains. This road was difficult, 
even in good weather, for loaded army wagons, and 
next to impossible when rains set in. 

The army was soon in a desperate condition; the 
men, on half rations and those of the worst quality, 
were hungry and dispirited, while the mules and horses 
were dying by scores. Exposed to a constant artillery 
fire from Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge, it 
is not to be wondered at that Rosecrans, a man of 
genius but not of great persistency, thought it doubt- 
ful if he would be able to hold the position. 

One of the qualities that endeared Sheridan to his 
men was that he was constantly looking out for their 
welfare and comfort. While the men of the other di- 
visions of the army were suffering for food and their 
horses and mules were starving and dying, Sheridan, 
with his usual enterprise and sagacity, managed to 
provide for his division so that men, horses, and mules 
were all tolerably well fed. 

As a magnet attracts particles of iron, so the daring 
spirit of our hero attracted to him men of similar 
qualities. A troop of Kentucky cavalry attached it- 
self without authority to his division, and because of 
the anticipated reorganization of the army had been 
left undisturbed. Its officers and men were ready for 
any work that Sheridan might cut out for them to do. 
Under guidance of the scout Card, Sheridan sent this 
troop out to obtain supplies for his men. Conducted 
to the Sequatchie Valley, it hid itself in a secluded spot 
at the upper part of the valley, and by keeping very 
quiet and paying for everything they took from the 



SHERIDAN AT CHATTANOOGA 



97 



people, they were able to gather and send to camp sup- 
plies of corn for the animals and food for the soldiers ; 
also eggs, ducks, chickens, and turkeys abundantly for 
his officers' mess. Sheridan was thus often able to con- 
tribute to the mess at headquarters as well as to the 
messes of friends. In this way he brought his men 
and animals through the siege in fair condition. 

Sheridan's headquarters was on the grounds of a 
man who was a devoted loyalist, and from him he 
gathered valuable information about the country and 
the condition of the Confederate army. He learned 
about the roads and people that he might wish to make 
use of in the future. His ability for gaining informa- 
tion in this way was itself a kind of genius. 

On October 16, 1863, Rosecrans was succeeded in 
the command of the Army of the Cumberland by 
General Thomas. By the same order that relieved 
Rosecrans, General Grant was assigned to the com- 
mand of a military district which consolidated three 
departments, including the Department of the Cum- 
berland, to be known as " The Department of the 
Mississippi." In the reorganization of the army that 
followed, Sheridan's division was enlarged by addi- 
tional troops. He now had twenty- four regiments in 
his command, which was henceforth to be known offi- 
cially as the Second Division of the Fourth Army 
Corps, — though he had so stamped his personality 
upon it that it was almost universally known as 
" Sheridan's division." 

Hooker with two corps had, meanwhile, arrived to 
reinforce the army, and the prospect began in a meas- 



98 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

ure to look more encouraging. On the 19th of Oc- 
tober Grant arrived at Chattanooga, and a period of 
activity at once began. 

Grant's first task was to open a direct route to 
Bridgeport, in order to provision the army. To do 
this he sent General Hazen to seize Brown's Ferry, at 
the northern base of Moccasin Point, while Hooker 
crossed the river at Bridgeport, in open day and in 
plain sight of the Confederates, and took possession of 
Lookout Valley. This position meant defeat or vic- 
tory to the Union army and was not to be held with- 
out a struggle. To regain possession Bragg planned 
a night attack, to be executed by Longstreet. 

The attack in the dark was sharp and bitter for a 
while, but it ended, with a touch of comedy, in a 
Union victory. Hooker's mules, as if in contempt of 
Bragg's tactics and as though impelled by military 
ambition, broke away from their frightened drivers 
and, with a prodigious clanking of chains and rattling 
of harness, charged into the Confederate lines! The 
Confederates, thinking a cavalry charge was coming, 
took back tracks for the rear. Hooker's men were 
amused by the performance of the mules and celebrated 
the event in a parody, one of the verses of which runs 
like this: 

" Mules to the right of them, 
Mules to the left of them, 
Mules all behind them 
Pawed, neighed, and thundered; 
Breaking their own confines — 
Breaking through Longstreet's lines, 
Testing chivalric spines, 
Stormed the two hundred." 



SHERIDAN AT CHATTANOOGA 99 

The direct route to Bridgeport was established by 
the 27th of October, and the " Cracker Line," as the 
men called it, soon gave abundant supplies to the army. 
The enemy thereafter made no attempt to dispute it. 
Then followed four weeks of preparation for battle, 
which would begin as soon as Sherman with the Army 
of the Tennessee should arrive. 

Bragg, meanwhile, as if in league with fate to give 
Grant victory, detached Longstreet's corps from his 
command and sent it to capture or destroy Burnside, 
whose army Longstreet besieged at Knoxville, Ten- 
nessee. But Burnside, though a hundred miles from 
a railroad or his base of supplies, and though his men 
were suffering for food and his animals starving, yet 
courageously held the town. Grant was urged to help 
him, but believed the best way to do so was first to win 
a victory at Chattanooga. He had raised the siege, 
but there was still great peril, though Sherman was 
hastening to his assistance. 

By the 18th of November Grant had made his 
preparations and issued his instructions to his com- 
manders. By his plans Sherman was to cross the Ten- 
nessee and capture the northern part of Missionary 
Ridge as far as the railroad tunnel. The Army of the 
Cumberland was to cooperate with him while Hooker 
held Lookout Mountain on the right. On the 24th 
Sherman had arrived and crossed the Tennessee River 
as planned. 

Grant, ever optimistic, thought that Bragg was try- 
ing to get away, and ordered a strong demonstration 
to be made on his front. A part in this task was as- 



ioo BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

signed to Sheridan. Wood's division made a recon- 
naissance to an elevation called Orchard Knob, and 
Sheridan supported or assisted him. 

On the morning of the 23d Wood's and Sheridan's 
divisions were formed in line, and at two o'clock, at 
the booming of signal guns, moved out, drove back the 
rebel pickets, took possession of Orchard Knob and, 
on a low ridge on its right, threw up a line of rifle- 
pits and under instructions from General Thomas 
mounted two pieces of artillery there. Here, subject 
to some inconvenience by shell from the enemy, they 
remained until the 25th. The result of the whole 
movement of Grant's army that day was to secure a 
line a mile in advance of the one he had occupied the 
day before. 

On the 24th Sherman attacked the enemy, to capture 
the north end of Missionary Ridge; and, though he 
failed in part in this attempt, it led Bragg to weaken 
his lines on Missionary Ridge, thus making it easier, 
in the fighting that followed, to capture that position. 
Hooker, taking advantage of it also, advanced up the 
north part of Lookout Mountain and, by a picturesque 
battle, planted the stars and stripes on its crest. " The 
Battle above the Clouds," as it is called, was a sharp 
conflict, which gave Hooker a position that he pro- 
nounced impregnable. 

By the 25th, Grant's army practically formed a con- 
tinuous line, with the Army of the Cumberland in the 
center, connecting on the right and left with Sherman 
and Hooker; while Bragg's entire army was holding 
the line of Missionary Ridge. In the morning Sher- 



SHERIDAN AT CHATTANOOGA 101 

man attemped to gain the high ground near the rail- 
road tunnel and heavy fighting took place. Sherman 
did not succeed as well as he anticipated, but the fight- 
ing served to distract Bragg's attention from other 
parts of the line. Meanwhile Hooker crossed Chat- 
tanooga Valley for the purpose of crossing Missionary 
Ridge near Rossville. 

Early in the day Sheridan was all alive with action. 
His division had been brought into a high condition 
of efficiency by constant drill and careful attention to 
the wants of his men, and was like a keenly tempered 
and sharpened blade ready to be wielded by one that 
was its master. His men had confidence in their gen- 
eral, knowing that he would not lead them into dangers 
that he was not himself ready to face; that he under- 
stood the business of war; that in .peril, while exacting 
much from them, he would be thoughtful of their 
needs, and that there would be no blundering or throw- 
ing away of their lives without compensation. Such 
generals can exact the uttermost from those they com- 
mand. They advanced, first driving in the Confederate 
pickets in their front so as to unite the line of battle 
with that of Wood's Division; and then they awaited 
orders to carry the first line of intrenchments before 
them at the foot of Missionary Ridge. While they 
pause, let us look for a moment at the task before 
them. The enemy had retired from Lookout Moun- 
tain during the previous night, burning the bridges and 
otherwise destroying the roads on which Hooker was 
to move. They had concentrated their forces for the 
impending final battle, that was to bring victory or 



102 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

defeat. Grant had given orders for the Army of the 
Cumberland to move to the attack when they should 
hear the signal guns. His orders were, " As soon as 
the signal is given, the whole line will advance and you 
will take what is before you." This order con- 
templated the capture of the first line of intrenchments 
at the foot of the ridge, and then a halt to rest and 
re-form their ranks. 

It was five hundred yards from the foot of the 
ridge to the summit and the way was broken by gullies, 
fallen timber, and loose stones rolled from the crest; 
while from jutting rocks field artillery and riflemen 
swept the sides with destructive enfilading fire. On 
the very top of this ridge was a line of strong intrench- 
ments, well manned with riflemen and cannoneers. 
Bragg afterwards declared that their position there 
was so strong that a single line of skirmishers should 
have been able to defend it. Such was the position that 
we are about to see Sheridan attack. 

Sheridan was waiting for the signal, with his whole 
front covered by a heavy line of skirmishers. His left 
joined Wood's division, and his center faced Bragg's 
headquarters on the heights above. Before him was 
an open plain from four to eight hundred yards to the 
foot of the Ridge. Bragg from the heights above 
perceived that an attack was about to be made, and as 
Sheridan saw him moving his men to fill up the gaps 
and strengthen his line, he became impatient for the 
signal. He knew that the longer the attack was de- 
layed the more difficult it became to carry their works; 
and already, with his keen military sense, he began to 



SHERIDAN AT CHATTANOOGA 103 

doubt if it was best to pause at the first line of rifle- 
pits at the foot of the ridge when he had captured 
them. While anxiously waiting for the signal, he sent 
one of his staff to General Granger to inquire if they 
were to carry the ridge beyond when they had captured 
the first line of intrenchments at the foot of the 
heights. It was then four o'clock. 

Before the return of the messenger, six guns boomed 
out on the still air. It was the signal for attack. 
Turning to his brigade commanders, Sheridan in his 
most impressive manner said, " Go for the Ridge ! " 
Then, riding forward, he placed himself in front of his 
battle line. The whole line rushed forward upon the 
enemy's intrenchments, with Sheridan at their head. 
Shell sputtered, bullets hissed, and solid shot plowed 
their ranks as, with flying colors, in magnificent array 
the line swept forward, leaving behind them a trail of 
dead and wounded. 

They reached the first line of intrenchments, and the 
Confederates, after a short resistance, threw them- 
selves in dismay on their faces and the whole line of 
Sheridan's men rushed over them towards the heights. 
A thousand prisoners were marched without guards to 
the rear, and were glad to go, as the intrenchments 
were then under fire from the crest above. 

While Sheridan was still in the intrenchments, he 
got word from General Granger that they were to 
carry only the first line. The aide-de-camp bringing 
the order had already ordered Wagner's brigade back 
to the intrenchments. 

Sheridan felt that this was a mistake; he could not 



104 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

bear to have his gallant men, who had already begun 
the ascent, turn back. He was confident that they 
could take the heights. Riding to the head of Wagner's 
brigade, he said, " We are going up there, men! " and 
the advance of five hundred yards to the summit was 
resumed. 

When Grant, who was watching the attack from 
Orchard Knob, saw Sheridan's men swarming like bees 
up the steep heights, he asked, " Who ordered those 
men up the ridge? " 

" I don't know," said General Thomas, in his cool 
tones; "I did not." 

" Did you order them up, Granger? " 

"No," replied Granger; "but when those fellows 
get started the devil can't stop them ! " 

" Ride to Wood and Sheridan," said Grant, " and 
ask them if they ordered their men up the ridge. Tell 
them if they can take it, push ahead! " 

" I did not order them up," said Sheridan, and then, 
with a forceful gesture, exclaimed, " But we are going 
to take that ridge! " It was an excusable lie, for he 
knew that the ridge could be better taken then than 
if delayed. 

The broken ground made it impossible to advance 
in regular lines of battle. So they advanced as they 
could, clinging to the steep sides of the mountain, 
which was swept by missiles of death. There was a 
rivalry between the brave men, to see whose colors 
should be farthest advanced. The strongest and most 
daring were ahead, with the weakest and timid — if 
there were any such — in the rear. 



SHERIDAN AT CHATTANOOGA 105 

Halfway up the heights a second line of intrench- 
rnents was to be carried; and meanwhile shot, shell, 
and bullets dropped around them, mowing paths 
through their ranks; but these were as little heeded as 
raindrops. They reached the second line. There was 
a brief conflict, and then, with a desperate rush, they 
went over the intrenchments. Then, with a shower 
of bullets and shot smiting their lines, they pushed on 
in a final rush to the top of the ridge. They faced the 
hot fire confidently, for was not Sheridan, their loved 
commander, among them on his steed and exposed to 
the same danger as themselves? 

Under the fire of deadly sharpshooters the color 
bearers at the apex of the wedge-shaped masses of men 
going up the heights, fell all along the sides of the 
mountain. Each regiment drew toward its flag, while 
the bullets hissed and the cannon swept their ranks. 
The Confederates lighted the fuses of the shells and 
rolled them down on to the advancing column. The 
enemy that had been driven out of the second parallel 
was so closely pursued to the summit that the retreating 
Confederates and the Union flags reached there almost 
at the same time. Then there was a noisy crackle of 
musketry, punctuated by booming cannon, and the blue 
line with its glittering crest of bayonets surged like a 
mighty wave over the crest, with their gallant com- 
mander riding at their head. He was the only one on 
horseback in that charge. Then cheer after cheer rang 
out, giving assurance of victory to Grant and his staff, 
anxiously watching at Orchard Knob below. 

Sheridan's whole division had reached the crest on 



106 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

a run. The guns at Bragg's headquarters began firing 
on their somewhat disordered lines, but were soon 
captured and turned on the retreating enemy. In the 
valley on the reverse side of the mountain they could 
see the disorganized Confederate wagon train moving 
in hurried retreat, mingled confusedly with pieces of 
artillery, protected in part by a partially organized line 
of infantry. But Sheridan was not alone, though he 
had first reached the crest. At six different points 
Sheridan's and Wood's divisions had broken over the 
crest of the ridge. The sun had not gone down when 
Missionary Ridge was in the hands of the Federals. 
Baird's men reached the ridge just in time to confront 
a large body of Confederates moving to attack the 
Union left. 

Mounted on a piece of captured artillery, Sheridan, 
without stopping for praise or congratulations, began 
to direct the pursuit of the retreating enemy. He 
knew that the Confederates were on the run and must 
be pressed to the utmost to gain the full harvest of the 
day's work. At a second ridge the Confederates 
stoutly resisted the pursuit. Sheridan sent two of his 
regiments to flank the position, and the hill was 
captured. 

The moon had just come up behind the mountain. 
That Sheridan had something of the poet as well as 
the hero in his composition is shown in the fact that 
after the excitement and fatigue of the day, he could 
stop to note and admire the beautiful picture presented 
by the rising moon, magnified by refraction, across 
whose silver disk the figures of his marching men stood 



SHERIDAN AT CHATTANOOGA 107 

out in almost full relief as against a huge medallion. 

He pressed the pursuit, with tireless persistency, 
until twelve o'clock that night. He knew every stream 
and road and hill of the country round about, better 
even than the Confederates themselves, and knew that 
if he could reach Chattanooga Station with sufficient 
force he could cut off the Confederate retreat in part 
and inflict great if not irreparable injury upon the 
enemy. He was not able to get the needed help, and at 
twelve o'clock halted his tired men and gave it up. 
Had he got the support that he called for, he could 
have struck the retreating Confederates that had been 
fighting Sherman; for they did not pass the Station 
until after daylight the next morning. 

When Grant visited his bivouac the following day, 
Sheridan explained what might have been done had he 
got help. Grant saw that a great opportunity had been 
lost. His keen military sense appreciated and doubt- 
less marked Sheridan as a future commander whom 
he could trust and use, for Sheridan was a man after 
Grant's own heart. 

That Sheridan, notwithstanding other claimants, did 
the better part of the work that brought victory and 
triumph to the Union standards in the battle of Chat- 
tanooga, is shown by the fact that his division lost in 
those fateful moments 123 officers and 1181 men killed 
or wounded, which was one-third of all the casualties 
of the battle, including the losses of Sherman. This 
plainly shows who did the heavy fighting that decided 
the conflict. Not only was Sheridan's superiority 
shown in this, but in his clear perception of what should 



io8 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

be done after the crest was won. Grant says in his 
" Memoirs " : " To Sheridan's prompt movements 
(after the ridge was captured) the Army of the Cum- 
berland and the nation are indebted for the bulk of the 
capture of prisoners, artillery, and small arms that day. 
But for his prompt pursuit, so much in this way would 
not have been accomplished." 

It was one of the most picturesque and brave attacks 
made during the entire war, as well as the most daring. 
It is doubtful if it could have been achieved by any 
other officer commanding in the army. Sheridan's men 
knew that he was sharing their dangers, and his 
presence in the front of battle was more inspiriting at 
critical moments than any help or reinforcement they 
could have received. 



CHAPTER X 

THE RELIEF OF KNOXVILLE 

The loyal people of Tennessee had long been urg- 
ing President Lincoln to send help to reestablish 
national authority in that state. He had endeavored 
to meet their wishes, but conflicting interests did not 
permit of his doing this at once. The people were 
intensely loyal, but were unreasonably urgent for that 
which he had not the immediate power to give. 

On August 1 6, 1863, Burnside with the Ninth Army 
Corps took possession of Knoxville, Tennessee, with- 
out opposition, Bragg having at that time withdrawn 
his troops to assist in fighting Rosecrans. The people, 
having waited with long-deferred hopes for deliverance 
from Confederate dominion, welcomed Burnside with 
extravagant and joyous demonstrations. He should 
at once have connected his corps with Rosecrans', but 
made various excuses for not doing so, and finally did 
not do it at all. 

Longstreet had, as we have seen in the preceding 
chapter, got orders to lead an expedition against Burn- 
side. Burnside seems to have been less worried about 
his own safety than were the authorities at Washing- 
ton. For as soon as Longstreet had arrived in the 
vicinity of Knoxville, he sent a dispatch to Grant, 
proposing to retire gradually before Longstreet and 

109 



no BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

thus draw him further away from Chattanooga, in 
order to assist Grant with his plans. Grant was 
pleased to see that Burnside had confidence in his own 
powers, as well as to know that he was able to assist 
him with his plans. 

Acting on the orders received from Grant, he fell 
back from Loudon on the 15th, marching towards 
Knoxville. Longstreet, with great energy, pushed 
after him, endeavoring to cut him off from Knoxville ; 
but Burnside by a rapid march prevented this and was 
soon in that place. He had nearly twelve thousand 
men, to which force was added a partially organized 
body of loyal Tennesseeans. Longstreet besieged the 
place with fifteen thousand veteran troops, an army 
which, with other additions, soon amounted to twenty 
thousand men. 

Burnside still held partial communications with the 
country outside, and the loyal farmers floated supplies 
on rafts down the Tennessee River for his men and 
animals. 

There was a considerable time when no news of him 
was heard in Washington and the President was 
anxious about him. When Mr. Lincoln was told that 
firing had been heard at Knoxville, he was hopeful. 
He said it reminded him of a woman he knew in 
Illinois who had a large number of children, of whom 
she took very little care. When she heard one of them 
bawling she would say, " Thank the Lord there's one 
of my young ones alive." So long as there was firing 
heard at Knoxville Burnside was not captured. 

After Grant had put the Confederate army to flight 



THE RELIEF OF KNOXVILLE in 

at Chattanooga by capturing Missionary Ridge, he had 
ordered Sherman to march to the relief of Knoxville. 
And the day after that battle Sheridan also was 
ordered to prepare for a march to the relief of Burn- 
side. The stores of clothing at Chattanooga were very 
scanty for refitting his men for such an expedition, 
and their knapsacks and extra clothing having been 
left behind before the fight at Murfreesboro, the men 
were in poor plight for such a march in winter. Their 
clothing was thin, threadbare, ragged, and ill-fitted for 
a campaign in the high mountain country of East Ten- 
nessee. As Sheridan's teams were in good condition, 
he left them behind to bring clothing for his men, if 
any should be received at Chattanooga. 

On the 2 1 st of November the Fourth Corps, to 
which he belonged, began its march. The men carried 
in their haversacks four days' rations, while a small 
boat with food supplies steamed up the river, parallel 
with their march, in order to give further supplies. 
Sherman, marching at a greater distance from the 
river, was able to subsist his army on the country. In 
a few days Sherman joined the right of the Fourth 
Corps, and the whole force went forward to Knoxville. 
They arrived at Maysville, December 5, and there 
learned that Longstreet had, shortly before their 
arrival, attempted to capture Knoxville by a desperate 
assault; but meeting with a bloody repulse and great 
losses, he had raised the siege and marched away on a 
road leading to Virginia. 

Upon receiving this information Sherman turned 
and marched back for Chattanooga again; while the 



ii2 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

Fourth Corps went forward to Knoxville for the pur- 
pose of pursuing Longstreet. They found that Burn- 
side's army was not as deficient in food as had been 
supposed, but that he had cleaned out about all of the 
supplies in the region around. Sheridan did not cross 
the Holstein River, but for the purpose of getting sub- 
sistence for his division from the surrounding country. 
made his headquarters at Sevierville. The country was 
so rich in supplies of food and the people so enthusi- 
astically loyal and glad of their presence, that they 
soon had such a surplus of food that they could send 
some to Burnside at Knoxville. 

The people could not do too much for the Union 
army. Many of the men had been compelled to hide in 
the mountains or flee the country on account of their 
Union sentiments, and their wives and daughters who 
remained were especially grateful for the presence of 
the division to protect them. Very soon, however, and 
just as his men had begun thoroughly to enjoy the 
abundance of supplies and the hearty hospitality of the 
people, Sheridan was ordered to move his division to 
Knoxville, as Longstreet was still threatening the place. 

His men were at this time painfully destitute of 
clothing, especially shoes. In many cases, to protect 
them from the cold, they had been compelled to make 
a substitute for shoes from pieces of their blankets. 
The snow was several inches in depth, and the division 
had no tents or other shelters except such as they could 
improvise from their rubber blankets. The cutting 
mountain winds and the intense cold made the work 
of campaigning in their destitute condition very hard. 



THE RELIEF OF KNOXVILLE 113 

About five hundred of the men who were without shoes 
had to be left in Knoxville when the division advanced 
to pursue Longstreet. Sheridan's great heart was sore 
over the condition of his brave and faithful men, and 
he tried his uttermost to provide for them. He had 
ordered from Chattanooga a train of wagons with 
supplies, but when it arrived General Foster had taken 
it and issued it pro rata to the men in Knoxville. 
This, though just, was hard, and Sheridan thought 
that if the other generals had exerted themselves they 
might have provided for their own men. Hoping for 
better luck next time, Sheridan had another train with 
supplies brought to Knoxville. This time, before the 
wagons got into town, the clothing was concealed 
under hay and other forage, and in that way was 
brought to his men ; for Sheridan knew that if his men 
once got the clothing on their backs, it would require 
a fight to regain it for general distribution. 

On the 15th of January, 1864, Sheridan began an 
advance for the double purpose of threatening the en- 
emy and subsisting his men. The other troops of the 
Fourth Corps crossed the Holstein River on a bridge 
constructed by the army at Strawberry Plains, while 
Sheridan's division forded the river above that point. 
The water was deep and cold, and the ice and snow 
floating on the surface made fording difficult; but it 
was at last successfully accomplished, and Sheridan's 
force reached Dandridge on the 17th. Here Sheridan 
met with a General Sturgis in command of Cavalry, 
who was anxious to have him go out with him and see 
him " whip the rebel cavalry." Sheridan declined the 



ii4 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

invitation, as he wished to see to his men when they 
arrived and select their encampments. He had reached 
his headquarters in the village, when a messenger came 
from Sturgis saying that he was driven back by the 
enemy. It was soon evident that instead of whipping 
the rebel cavalry the " boot was on the other leg," and 
Sturgis was having served out to him the punishment 
that he had promised to give the Confederates. It 
turned out, however, that the enemy were making a 
reconnaissance for information rather than for a fight, 
and they soon began to fall back to the place from 
whence they had come. 

Meanwhile, General Granger had determined that 
Dandridge was not a safe position, and decided to 
withdraw a part of the troops to Strawberry Plains. 
But before doing this the question of supplying food to 
his men came up, and it was determined to send the 
Fourth Corps out for supplies across the French Broad 
River, if a bridge could be built on which to cross the 
men. This was undertaken by Sheridan, providing 
that each division sent to him twenty-five of its wagons 
with which to build the bridge. When his wagons 
were got together and unloaded, they were put into 
position, one after the other, by being drawn into the 
stream to the other side of the river, the mules un- 
hitched, and the poles of each wagon fastened under 
the hind axle of the one in front, and the tailboard let 
down to span the space between them. But there were 
not enough wagons to reach across the stream, for the 
wagons promised by the other division commanders did 
not come. So, to complete the bridge, Sheridan took 



THE RELIEF OF KNOXVILLE 115 

from his own division all the wagons needed and 
finished it late in the afternoon. He had begun march- 
ing one of his brigades over it, when he got word that 
Longstreet was advancing to attack him. So there he 
was, with his baggage on the banks of the stream and 
his wagons in the river. He sent back word of his 
distressing plight, but could not get help. For, after 
the project of foraging had been abandoned, no doubt 
each division commander was too intent on looking out 
for himself to give him aid. 

Sheridan got orders to fall back, but, determined 
that he would not abandon his wagons and the supplies 
that were on the banks of the stream, he threw out a 
strong force to watch for the Confederates and, with 
the remainder of his men, went to work and rescued 
his wagons and baggage. By daylight he had suc- 
ceeded in saving them without interference from the 
enemy, Longstreet's real purpose in advancing having 
been a blind to cover or protect a retreat towards 
Lynchburg, Virginia. Sheridan then marched to 
Strawberry Plains and, by taking a shorter route, got 
there, in spite of his troubles with the bridge, as soon 
as the rest of the army. He was much distressed, how- 
ever, when the beef contractor informed him that 
the enemy had captured his herd of cattle. But 
he got some comfort when he learned that the cattle 
were so poor and weak that the rebels could not get 
them away on their own legs, and had to abandon 
\them. 

\\ General Foster had now superseded Burnside; but 
as Foster was suffering from old wounds he had 



n6 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

turned the command over to Park who in turn had 
turned it over to Granger, who tried to unload the 
burden on Sheridan; but the latter protested, saying 
it seemed like the small-pox, — catching. This brought 
Granger to the front at Dandridge. 

About this time General Grant visited Knoxville to 
view the situation for himself, and to see about open- 
ing the railroad between Chattanooga and Knoxville, 
so that supplies could be brought to Knoxville by 
railway, instead of through the Cumberland Gap by 
wagons. The railroad had reached Loudon, Ten- 
nessee, but it took so much time to build a bridge over 
the Tennessee River that supplies were still scarce and 
the animals were starving. 

In order to be nearer their base of supplies, and also 
nearer Chattanooga to assist in case of an attack on 
that place, Sheridan's division was ordered to move to 
Loudon. The marches of the winter had been so use- 
less and exhausting, that the men were as glad as their 
general to take the road for this point, where they 
arrived January 27, 1864. The men, with more plenti- 
ful supplies and with a refit of clothing, became more 
contented ; and as the term of service of many of them 
had expired, most of them, in spite of their previous 
hardships, reenlisted. 

After providing for the refitting and provisioning of 
his men, Sheridan, who was much run down by hard 
service, got the first leave of absence that he had re- 
ceived since entering the army in 1853. He spent a 
month or more in the North, and returned in better 
health to his division in March, expecting to participate 



THE RELIEF OF KNOXVILLE 117 

in the campaign which he believed would begin with 
the approach of summer. 

As we all know, General Grant was made Com- 
mander-in-Chief, on March 12, 1864, and assigned to 
the command of all the armies of the United States. 
When Grant reached Washington he made some 
changes, among others relieving Pleasanton from com- 
mand of the cavalry of the Army of the Potomac and 
appointing Sheridan to that command. On the 23d of 
March the latter received the following telegram : 

" Lieutenant-General Grant directs that Major-Gen- 
eral Sheridan immediately repair to Washington and 
report to the Adjutant-General of the army. 
yV. H. Halleck, 

Major-General, Chief -of Staff." 



CHAPTER XI 

SHERIDAN MADE COMMANDER OF CAVALRY IN THE 
ARMY OF THE POTOMAC 

As you know, the general plan of the war was to 
besiege the Confederacy on every side, assault it at 
every possible point and drive in its defenders, and to 
restore the Federal Government in all territory as fast 
as it was regained. To this end there were scores 
and hundreds of battles, great and small, all along the 
coast from Hampton, Virginia, to Galveston, Texas; 
along the Mississippi from New Orleans northward 
and Cairo southward; along the northern boundary 
from the Mississippi River to the Cumberland Moun- 
tains and from these mountains around to Hampton 
again. But of all the great line, no other part was 
so desperately attacked or so strongly defended as that 
of the Potomac River. Here the great Army of the 
Potomac faced the Confederate Army of Northern 
Virginia. Here were the heaviest brigades, the 
choicest troops, the best armament, the most trusted 
officers. Here the breathless interest of the country 
was centered. Tremendous as were some of the 
engagements elsewhere, they seemed of minor im- 
portance beside the campaign on the Potomac, or only 
important because of the generals that were being tried 
out there for the great service. 

The reason of this centering of interest was that 
118 



COMMANDER OF CAVALRY 119 

here, less than one hundred miles apart, were the two 
capitals, Washington and Richmond. You know that 
in war each side tries to hurt his enemy as much as 
possible, and one of the worst of hurts is to take his 
capital. The " capital " is the head of a country, and 
cutting off the head is liable to kill the victim. This 
was the reason that the biggest armies and best gen- 
erals were on the line of the Potomac; and Grant was 
called from the Army of the West to command here 
because he had shown himself a better general than 
any one who had yet held the command. 

In one of his first interviews with President Lincoln, 
Grant had expressed his dissatisfaction with the 
cavalry corps. It had done practically nothing but 
picket and guard duty; while the dashing cavalry of 
the Confederacy had again and again made long raids 
in the North and ridden pretty nearly all around our 
army. The Southern people, having only a few roads 
and those poor, were used to getting about their coun- 
try on saddle horses, and so learned to ride about as 
soon as they learned to walk. The Northern cavalry 
on the other hand, were not generally experienced 
riders. 

Grant had said to General Halleck, as well as to 
President Lincoln, " The cavalry should do its part 
in the fighting, and we must have the best man possible 
to command it." 

" Sheridan would be a good man for the place," 
suggested Halleck. 

" The very man I want," said Grant, with great 
earnestness. 



120 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

" Well, General Grant," said Mr. Lincoln, " you can 
have any one you want." And so Sheridan was sent 
for, as we have seen a few pages back. 

Now Sheridan, as an officer in the regular army, 
was in the infantry; but he was an all round able 
general. The fault with many of the superior officers 
was that they could not comprehend big plans and 
looked upon small things as beneath their attention. 
Nothing was neither too great nor too small for Sheri- 
dan. No matter how extensive the theater of war, he 
set himself to study all its hills, streams, and roads. 
No matter how many brigades and divisions were en- 
gaged, he knew where they all were and what they 
ought to do. And he had the high courage that knew 
that the bravest thing was always the safest. If a 
charge was to be made, he inspired his men by going 
with them into the fight. 

Nothing escaped Sheridan's attention. He knew his 
men could not march bare-footed, nor fight on empty 
stomachs, nor keep up brave spirits, without encourage- 
ment from their officers. And so he saw to it that 
they were fed and clothed and heartened. If they 
bivouacked on the bare ground, the lee side of a log 
made his bed; if the fight was a hard one, he fought 
beside them. A great army with poor officers is a 
helpless thing, but even a small army with a great 
general can do wonders. 

Grant had the great quality of seeing men of action 
as they really were, and not as others saw them, or as 
they desired to appear; he was given to believing the 
evidence of his own eyes, rather than the hearsay of 



COMMANDER OF CAVALRY 121 

other people. He had noted Sheridan from the first 
as a man after his own heart. He had seen him at 
Missionary Ridge, and was most pleased at his per- 
sistency in pressing the enemy after the battle and 
trying to reap the full benefits of that victory. The 
two men had much in common and easily understood 
each other. It was said that when Grant spoke of 
Sheridan, his usually impassive face would light up 
and his eyes would gleam with enthusiasm. 

Although Sheridan was an infantry officer, yet, up 
to the time of his coming East to take a part in the 
Civil War, most of his experience had been with 
cavalry. When, however, he had been assigned to 
command a brigade of infantry, and afterwards a 
division, he worked faithfully and studied hard to 
master all the requirements of his position. In fact, 
one great secret of Sheridan's success was his tireless 
capacity for work. When others slept, he studied and 
worked, not only for the organization needed for 
victory, but to look out for little things, neglected by 
others, and also for the comfort of the brave men who 
served under him. He selected comfortable and con- 
venient camping places. If their food was not good, 
he knew it and remedied it, as though it had been 
given to him for his use instead of to his men. There 
was nothing that the quartermaster or commissary 
could give that he did not obtain for the comfort of 
his men. Finally, he assured them victory in return 
for the sacrifice of their lives. Soldiers are willing 
to give much to a general who does this; for they 
above all things do not like to see needless and care- 



122 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

less sacrifice of lives. Sheridan never threw a life 
away; he always gave an equivalent for their toil and 
sacrifice. 

In return for this incessant care his men loved and 
admired him. When they learned that " Little Phil," 
as they affectionately called him, was about to leave 
them, tears stood in the eyes of many rough soldiers 
that he had commanded. On his part he could not 
trust himself to a formal parting from those for whom 
he held the warmest sentiments of esteem and tender 
affection. 

When he took the train for Chattanooga, his heart 
was full at the thought that he was about to sunder 
those ties of comradeship that had been formed amid 
hardships and battles. The officers and men of his 
division, however, gathered spontaneously on the sur- 
rounding hillsides near the station to see him off, with 
waving of hands and demonstrations of affection. 

When he arrived at Chatanooga and for the first 
time learned of the new duties that he was required 
to assume, his heart almost failed him, for he feared 
that he was not competent to take a position in which 
so many others had failed. But a soldier cannot 
choose; he goes where duty calls him — and where he 
is ordered. Obedience is the first law of military suc- 
cess, — obedience if need be in the face of death; and 
in war, among soldiers, the need is often imperative. 

Sheridan knew nothing, or little, of the army in 
which he was to take a great command, and nothing 
of the topography of the country in which he was to 
fight battles. He knew Grant and Halleck, and but 



COMMANDER OF CAVALRY 123 

very few other officers of that great army, and saw the 
necessity of having some one with him who was fa- 
miliar with the country and who had served with the 
Army of the Potomac. He took with him as his 
Chief-of-Staff Captain James W. Forsyth, a personal 
friend, who had served in that army during the Pe- 
ninsular Campaign and at Antietam. He also took 
with him his brother, Captain M. V. Sheridan, who 
had served as his aide-de-camp all through his career 
with the armies of the West. 

The general arrived in Washington April 4, 1864. 
After getting quarters at a hotel, he called on Halleck 
at the war office. At that time Sheridan was 33 years 
of age, but looked much younger. He was slight of 
person, measuring only five feet five inches in height 
and weighing only one hundred and fifteen pounds. 
His nerves were like steel and his muscles like whip- 
cords; his face expressed intense mental concentration 
and activity. To the ordinary observer he seemed un- 
gainly on account of his short legs and long body. 

When Halleck presented our hero to Edwin M. 
Stanton, the Secretary of War, that imperious official 
looked Sheridan over as though he would estimate his 
value and read the very secrets of his heart; but his 
cold, calculating manner gave no indication of whether 
his impressions were favorable or otherwise. 

After this ordeal was over Sheridan went to the 
White House with General Halleck to call on the 
President. Mr. Lincoln received him with both hands 
extended in welcome, and his haggard, sorrowful, 
careworn face lit up with a gleam of pleasure, as he 



124 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

said : " I hope that you will do all that General Grant 
thinks you can do. The cavalry has not been of as 
much service as we could wish." 

" I will do the best I can, sir," said Sheridan, mod- 
estly, " as I always have." 

" Well," said Mr. Lincoln, thoughtfully, " General 
Grant and some of the rest of us want to get more out 
of it than it has so far given; " and then, with a gleam 
of humor lighting his face, he quoted an oft-repeated 
phrase, "Who ever saw a dead cavalryman?" But 
his manner in repeating this stale question implied that 
he was joking rather than in earnest. 

After getting the order that assigned him to the 
command of the cavalry of the Army of the Potomac, 
Sheridan the next morning presented himself at the 
headquarters of the army. 

While Sheridan is on his way, let us, for a better 
understanding of what follows, look at the situation 
in the East as we have already looked over the achieve- 
ments of the Army of the West. 

The Army of the Potomac and its antagonist, the 
Army of Northern Virginia, after three years of war 
were in about the same relative position as when the 
war began. In the Peninsular Campaign, when com- 
manded by McClellan, the Army of the Potomac had 
advanced up the York Peninsula to within a few miles 
of Richmond, had fought desperate battles, but finally 
went back to the line of the Potomac. It then fought 
the battle of Antietam, driving the rebel army back 
from invading Maryland. 

Then there was dissatisfaction with McClellan, and 



COMMANDER OF CAVALRY 125 

Burnside took command. He fought the dreadful bat- 
tle of Fredericksburg, and was defeated and had to 
retreat to the north side of the Rapidan River. Then 
Hooker took command, fought the battle of Chan- 
cellorsville, and retreated to the position from whicK 
his army had started. Then, in the midst of the Get- 
tysburg campaign, when Lee, commanding the Con- 
federate army, had invaded Pennsylvania, General 
Meade had taken command and had achieved a decided 
victory at Gettysburg, but had failed to follow up the 
enemy. He was still in command of the Army of the 
Potomac under General Grant's direction. 

Forts had been secured along the Atlantic coast 
from Hampton Roads, Virginia, to Pensacola, and 
footing ground on the coast at Norfolk, Plymouth, 
Washington, and Newbern; and that was all the real 
advantage that had been gained. At the time of the 
arrival of General Sheridan at Grant's headquarters, 
the Army of the Potomac was on the north bank of the 
Rapidan River facing its antagonist, the Army of 
Northern Virginia. The Confederate army was com- 
manded by Robert E. Lee, who had been educated at 
West Point and had served under General Scott, but 
who had left the service of his country to take up arms 
against it. 

The cavalry of the Union army had hitherto been 
used in detachments, and not as a united body like 
other army corps. It had not done much to justify its 
formation except incidentally; and the expression of 
derision quoted by Mr. Lincoln, " Who ever saw a dead 
cavalryman ? " was used by many in the army to ex- 



126 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

press the littleness of its achievements. At the time 
our hero took command, the corps consisted of three 
divisions and twelve batteries of horse artillery. The 
first division had three brigades, and was commanded 
by Brigadier-General Alfred T. A. Torbert, a gradu- 
ate of West Point and an experienced officer. The 
second division, made up of two brigades, was com- 
manded by Brigadier-General David Mc M. Gregg, 
also a graduate of the Military Academy. The third 
division, of two brigades, was commanded by Brig- 
adier-General James H. Wilson, an educated soldier 
of good reputation, and also a graduate of West 
Point. Captain Robinson, a veteran soldier of the 
Mexican War, commanded the artillery. 

Sheridan was not well acquainted with any of these 
officers, but wisely determined to retain them in their 
commands. 

All this may seem a little dry to my young readers, 
but if they will keep these names and organizations in 
mind it will help them to understand what follows. 

Shortly after his arrival Sheridan reviewed his new 
command. iThere were several general officers present 
at this review, among them Generals Meade, Hancock, 
and Sedgwick. The cavalrymen looked strong and 
soldierly, but Sheridan's keen eye detected that the 
horses were thin and had apparently been overworked. 
On inquiry he learned that they were used for what he 
considered needless picket duty away out beyond the 
infantry and artillery camps of the army, where there 
was scarcely a Confederate soldier in sight. 

He saw at once that this policy diminished the effi- 



COMMANDER OF CAVALRY 127 

ciency of the cavalry; for however willing and able 
the men, they could go only so far as the horses could 
carry they. He at once determined, if possible, to stop 
this piecemeal work and to husband the strength of his 
horses and use them in compact masses against the 
enemy. 

General Meade, commanding the Army of the Po- 
tomac under Grant's direction, was an educated sol- 
dier, and a good one; but under the strain of respon- 
sibilities he was nervous, cross, and sharp-tempered. 
Sheridan called to see him, in order to get his permis- 
sion to carry out the reforms at which we have hinted. 

" General Sheridan ? Oh, yes ; you are to command 
the cavalry of the army, I believe." 

" Yes, General," replied Sheridan with decision, but 
respectfully. " As I am to be responsible, there are 
things that I would like to have done, or undone, to 
make it more effective." 

"What do you propose?" said Meade, rather 
sharply. " Our cavalry is very good as it is." 

" In the first place, the horses are out of condition," 
replied our little general ; " they are too hard worked 
for any real hard duty." 

" Yes," said General Meade, " but I don't see how 
that is to be helped while they are doing picket duty 
and guarding trains and doing other duties required 
of them." 

" That's just what I want to speak about, General 
Meade," said Sheridan. " The strength of the horses 
and of the men is wasted, so it appears to me, in use- 
less duty. They ought to be kept together, like other 



128 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

corps of the army, to whip the enemy and not to do 
picket duty and guard trains." 

" I do not see how that can be helped," said Meade, 
rather petulantly. " We must guard our trains and 
protect the flanks of the army." 

" General Meade," said Sheridan, energetically, " if 
you will let me use the cavalry as I think best, you will 
not be troubled about protecting your trains against the 
enemy's cavalry; I will give them so much to think 
about that they won't trouble either the trains or the 
flanks of the army." 

" It has been the custom in our army," said Meade, 
" to use the cavalry in these duties, and I cannot see 
that the changes that you propose would make it more 
efficient, but rather less so." 

" Well, General Meade," said Sheridan, " I have 
given you my ideas of the way to make it an effective 
arm of the service for this army. The way they are 
being used takes the soldierly qualities out of officers 
and men. They lose confidence in themselves, and 
everybody else does, too. If I have my way I will 
give them confidence to meet the enemy and whip 
them, so they won't have to guard trains or the flanks 
of the army." 

These ideas of Sheridan's were contrary to Meade's 
convictions of what should be done, and he gave Sheri- 
dan slight encouragement that he would give him leave 
to carry them out. For though large bodies of cavalry 
had at different times been massed for some special 
service they were not massed together for duty. Yet 
his talk with Meade resulted in the cavalry being taken 



COMMANDER OF CAVALRY 129 

from its exhausting picket duty; and this gave Sheri- 
dan about two weeks in which to nurse his horses and 
get them fit for the work that was required of them 
in the coming campaign. 

General Meade thought that the commander of his 
cavalry should be at headquarters to take orders from 
him, — in fact, a sort of staff officer to receive and exe- 
cute his commands; while Sheridan, as we have seen, 
thought he should be with his troops and keep them 
together to fight the enemy. Our general was obedient, 
but at the same time persistent that his was the right 
way to make the cavalry a strong and active arm of the 
service. 

This was the situation existing between Sheridan 
and Meade when the campaign of 1864 opened with 
the terrible Battle of the Wilderness. In the following 
chapter my readers will see how Sheridan overcame 
Meade's objections, making the cavalry a strong arm 
of the service and achieving with it victory that for a 
time rendered the Confederate cavalry almost useless. 



CHAPTER XII 

FIGHTING IN THE WILDERNESS 

The cavalry of the Army of the Potomac had 
hitherto fought under disadvantages hinted at in the 
preceding chapter; it had really never had a fair trial. 
The general who commanded the enemy's cavalry 
kept his force together and used it as a mechanic 
uses a hammer, to strike compact, decisive blows. The 
Union cavalry, on the contrary, had been used piece- 
meal, in disunited action, so that its blows fell with 
little more effect in battle than would a handful of 
sand thrown against the wind. As we have seen, 
Sheridan had detected this weak and wasteful action, 
and had sought in his interview, which we have re- 
corded in the preceding chapter, with General Meade 
to remedy it. From knowledge that he had gained of 
the topography of the country, its wooded lands tra- 
versed by parallel streams, he felt that there would be 
but little chance for his command to acquit itself with 
credit. He was, however, loyally determined to do 
his best to carry out all the plans of his commander. 

The two great armies facing each other were wait- 
ing for the disappearance of the patches of snow on 
the mountains, which would proclaim the coming of 
spring and of firm, dry roads. Both armies were in 
the highest condition of efficiency; their commanders 

130 



FIGHTING IN THE WILDERNESS 131 

were both men tried in many battles. Lee was confi- 
dent and buoyant ; Grant, dogged and determined. 

The cavalry of Lee's army, commanded by General 
J. E. B. Stuart, was composed of little more than 
eight thousand men. It was organized in two divis- 
ions, commanded by Generals Wade Hampton and 
Fitzhugh Lee. Hampton's division was composed of 
three brigades commanded by Generals Gordon, 
Young, and Rosser ; while Lee's division was also com- 
posed of three brigades, commanded by Generals 
Wickham, Lomax, and W. H. F. Lee. 

The two weeks following Sheridan's taking com- 
mand was a period of ceaseless activity for him. He 
seemed never to sleep, night or day. He was studying 
maps; interviewing guides or others who could give 
him information about fords and roads ; receiving and 
studying reports of his subordinate officers; and visit- 
ing his encampments to inform himself of the con- 
dition of his men and their animals, so as to know and 
supply their needs. He had, in that short time, gath- 
ered the reins of control in his hands, and was ready 
for the supreme task before him. He had no delusions 
about the magnitude of the work before him; he knew 
that he was not simply to fight the greatest leader of 
cavalry of the Confederacy, but must also combat 
Meade's firmly rooted conceptions as to how cavalry 
should be used to render it most effective. In this 
chapter we shall show how Meade finally conceded to 
him the right to use the cavalry in what he thought was 
the right way. 

At first there had been the natural feeling among 



132 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

the officers and men of his command that an officer 
might have been selected from home material. But 
Sheridan's energetic reforms, such as relieving the 
cavalry from keeping a line of videttes sixty miles in 
length around the army, besides doing ordinary patrol 
duty, met with their hearty approval and helped to 
overcome their objections to a new leader not of them- 
selves. 

On one occasion he sent one of his staff to order the 
return of more than a company of his men that, for 
some time, had been acting as a bodyguard for one of 
the generals. An attempt was made to get a modifica- 
tion of the order, but Sheridan was inflexible. He 

said, " Give my compliments to General and say 

I am commanding the cavalry of this army, and I 
want every one of them ! " 

At last the supreme moment for action arrived. In 
the darkness of night five bridges were quickly thrown 
across the Rapidan River, and at midnight, on the 4th 
of May, the Army of the Potomac moved out from its 
encampments on its great adventure of arms, — Sheri- 
dan with two of his divisions leading the way, and 
Torbett's division guarding its rear. 

Lee's army, behind intrenchments, stretched along 
the river for nearly twenty miles. It was Grant's plan 
to move by his left flank and compel him to come out 
from behind his intrenchments and fight on equal 
terms. Grant knew that this cross-country route was 
more difficult than McClellan's peninsular advance, but 
he believed there were compensating advantages in the 
case of protecting Washington and of securing new 



FIGHTING IN THE WILDERNESS 133 

bases of supply for his army, as he moved along his 
contemplated march. 

Sheridan, after making details for escort, guard, and 
other duty, had left him a formidable body of ten thou- 
sand horsemen. Wilson's division of Sheridan's cav- 
alry, at the head of Warren's corps of infantry, 
crossed the Rapidan River at Germania Ford and ar- 
rived at the Wilderness Tavern on the afternoon of the 
5th at two o'clock ; while Gregg's division, at the head 
of Hancock's corps, crossed the Rapidan at Ely's Ford 
and at ten o'clock in the morning reached Chancellors- 
ville. Here Sheridan established his headquarters as a 
convenient point from which to send orders and to re- 
ceive intelligence from his command. Generals Meade 
and Grant had, meanwhile, established their headquar- 
ters at Germania Ford, where Meade was in direct 
communications with Wilson's cavalry of Sheridan's 
command. 

So far, Grant's vast army had made its march with 
perfect success and without battle. It had turned the 
Confederate flank, and another day's march would 
bring them out of the tangled wood to open ground 
west and south of the Wilderness. But, swift as had 
been the movements of Grant, Lee's were equally swift 
and decided. When his signal officers gave him intelli- 
gence of Grant's movement, he at once gathered his 
army together and hurled it down the turnpike and 
Plank Road, so that on the morning of the 5th it was 
ready to strike at the right flank of the moving columns 
of the Union army. When the quick crackling of 
musketry informed Grant that the enemy had been 



134 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

encountered by Warren's corps, he did not suppose 
the enemy were in great force before him, but believed 
that Lee, after his line of defenses had been turned, 
had put out a force to mask his retreat. 

The " Wilderness " where the fighting was to occur 
was a very bad place for the Union army. The Con- 
federates could put their men in position in the tangled 
woods and then await the coming of the Union 
columns, who betrayed their approach by the rustling 
of the bushes as they pushed their way through the low 
growth of trees entangled by vines and briers. When 
fighting, the troops could not see from one end of a 
regiment to the other. Probably no other battle of 
such magnitude ever took place under such blind con- 
ditions. It was not long before the crackle of musketry 
was heard along the line for miles in this colossal 
sanguinary game of blind man's buff. 

On the morning of May 5, when the Union column 
had resumed its march, the left under Hancock moved 
on Shady Grove Church, while Warren, commanding 
its left, moved to Parker's Store. Sheridan had in- 
structed Wilson with his cavalry to advance only as far 
as Parker's Store ; but Meade directed Wilson to leave 
only one regiment there and to advance with the rest 
of the division toward Craig's Meeting House. This 
was the beginning of the conflicting orders between 
Sheridan and Meade, and such orders are always bad, 
if not disastrous. Wilson did not know that the Fifth 
(Warren's) Corps was approaching and, as the Con- 
federate infantry had now appeared at Parker's Store, 
his communications with Meade were soon cut off and 



FIGHTING IN THE WILDERNESS 135 

he found himself between two forces of the enemy, 
like meat between two pieces of bread in a sandwich. 
The situation was alarming; but Wilson extricated 
himself from it by crossing the Po river and reaching 
Todd's Tavern. General Meade, discovering that 
Wilson was in trouble, sent word to Sheridan, to whom 
this was the first intimation that his orders had been 
changed by Meade. 

The conflict in the tangled Wilderness on the 5th of 
May was not so much a battle as it was the sudden 
grapple of two antagonists meeting each other in a 
terrible wrestle. It was decreed, however, that a real 
and desperate battle should take place in these same 
entagled woods. 

On the morning of the 6th, while Custer's and Dev- 
ins' brigades of Torbert's division of cavalry w r ere 
fighting at the Furnaces and had repulsed the Confed- 
erate attack, Sheridan believed he could hold the line 
gained. But just then an alarming dispatch from 
Meade arrived, saying that Hancock's corps of in- 
fantry was hard pressed by the enemy and that his 
flank was turned. It proved later that Hancock's 
flank had not been turned ; but, acting under the orders 
that he had received, Sheridan drew in all his cavalry 
near Chancellorsville. When this mistake by Meade 
was discovered, Sheridan had to fight hard to regain, 
at a heavy cost in killed and wounded, the position 
which he had abandoned on account of Meade's mis- 
take. 

No words can depict the terrible fighting of the two 
days' Battle of the Wilderness. Both armies met with 



136 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

frightful losses, and when the dawn of the third day 
came to light up the concealing tangle of wood and 
vines and briers where the dead and wounded lay, 
neither Grant nor Lee showed any disposition to begin 
again the fight in an offensive battle. Both armies were 
shattered and bleeding. When Grant threw out skir- 
mishers on the 7th, the Confederates were found be- 
hind their defenses. 

When, on the 7th, Meade ordered his trains to be 
parked at Piney Branch Church preparatory to the 
movement ordered by Grant to Spottsylvania Court 
House, he did not know that place was held by the 
Confederates. So, as Sheridan could not obey this 
command on account of the order which Meade gave 
because of supposed disaster to Hancock he held his 
cavalry in the vicinity of Aldrich's until the ground 
where Meade had ordered him to park could be re- 
gained. The struggle that ensued for its possession 
brought on the cavalry battle known as Todd's Tavern. 
t The Confederates had taken this position to prevent 
Sheridan from pressing the rear of Lee's army as it 
fell back to a stronger position. It was an obstinate 
and fluctuating battle ; but finally Sheridan got posses- 
sion of the crossroad and drove the Confederates be- 
fore him almost to Spottsylvania Court House. Then, 
from motives of prudence recalling the pursuit, he en- 
camped his two divisions near Todd's Tavern in an 
open field. 

The two days' fighting in the Wilderness was not as 
decisive a Union success as Grant had hoped it would 
be, and he determined to make a rapid march and seize 



FIGHTING IN THE WILDERNESS 137 

Spottsylvania in order to intercept Lee's communica- 
tions while preserving his own. So, with this in view, 
he began a night march of his infantry to Todd's 
Tavern preparatory to shifting all his infantry to 
Spottsylvania Court House. To assist in this move- 
ment Sheridan ordered Gregg and Merritt to march 
at daylight on the 8th and take possession of Snell's 
Bridge over the Po River, and also directed Wilson's 
cavalry to take possession of Spottsylvania as early as 
possible. Wilson, marching from Alsop's house, got 
possession of Spottsylvania and drove the Confederate 
cavalry nearly a mile beyond it. General Meade had, 
meanwhile, arrived at Todd's Tavern and so modified 
the orders that Sheridan had issued to Gregg and 
Merritt as to spoil Sheridan's plan. He ordered Mer- 
ritt to move out in the van of the infantry column, and 
in obeying this order the men of Warren's infantry 
got mingled with his cavalry and were hindered in their 
march. When Sheridan came up he found General 
Warren wrathful over the hindrance of his march by 
the horsemen. 

Sheridan believed that, had his orders not been inter- 
fered with, it was doubtful whether the bloody battle 
at Spottsylvania that cost so dearly in human life, 
would have taken place. When Sheridan, on the morn- 
ing of the 8th, found that his orders had been med- 
dled with he protested strongly, but it was too late. 
The Fifth Corps of infantry advancing to capture the 
village of Spottsylvania, encountered the enemy and 
was driven back with heavy losses. 

General Meade, angry at this disaster, which had 



138 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

really come about through his own orders, summoned 
Sheridan to headquarters and complained bitterly to 
him of the cavalry. In substance this conversation 
took place : 

" General Sheridan," said Meade, angrily, " the 
cavalry has crowded the Spottsylvania road so that it 
prevented Warren's corps from reaching Spottsylvania 
in season to get possession; and General Warren has 
complained to me about it." 

" If that is true," said Sheridan, in a low, decided 
tone, " it is your own fault, General Meade." 

" What do you mean by that ? " said Meade. " You 
command the cavalry, or pretend to, don't you? " 

" What I mean," said Sheridan, angrily, " is this : 
by interfering with my orders you have got my 
cavalry mixed up with Warren's men, stopping their 
march ; and not only that, but you have broken up my 
combinations. Such interference will make the cav- 
alry inefficient and useless before long, in spite of all 
that I can do." 

Meade was pale with anger, and though Sheridan 
held his temper he was really as angry, and the 
wordy disagreement waxed hot until at last Sheridan 
said: 

" I can whip the Confederate cavalry out of their 
boots if you will let me; but as you insist on giving 
orders contrary to mine without consulting or notify- 
ing me, I will not give the cavalry another order ; you 
can command it hereafter if you wish to; I will not 
give it another order ! " 

" What do you mean by that, General Sheridan? " 



FIGHTING IN THE WILDERNESS 139 

interrogated Meade, rather cooled by Sheridan's bold 
attitude. 

" I mean this," replied Sheridan, " that so long as 
you insist upon giving orders that conflict with mine, 
you shall be responsible for them ; I will not have them 
loaded on to me ; I am done ! " 

This ended the interview, and Meade went to Grant 
with his grievance, telling him what Sheridan had said. 

Grant listened patiently and with imperturbable 
silence, no doubt thinking both of his subordinates 
were at fault, and probably fearing that he should lose 
a valuable cavalry commander by the quarrel. But 
when Meade repeated Sheridan's saying, that he could 
whip the rebel cavalry, Grant said, in his quiet but 
sharp manner, " Did Sheridan say that? " " Yes," re- 
plied Meade. " Well," said Grant, decidedly, " let him 
go and do it, then ! " 

General Meade knew this was a command, and soon 
sent an order to Sheridan, saying : " The major-gen- 
eral commanding directs you immediately to con- 
centrate your available mounted forces, and with your 
ammunition trains and such supply trains as are filled 
(exclusive of ambulances), proceed against the en- 
emy's cavalry; and when your supplies are exhausted, 
proceed via New Market and Green Bay to Haxall's 
Landing on the James River, there communicating 
with General Butler and procuring supplies, and re- 
turn to this army. Your dismounted men will be 
left with the train here." 

In the following chapter it will be shown how Sher- 
idan obeyed that order, and the great results of it. 



CHAPTER XIII 
sheridan's raid around lee 

The order to Sheridan recorded in the preceding 
chapter was written on the 8th of May, 1864, and re- 
ceived by him the same day. He also received verbal 
instructions from Grant himself, which, in addition to 
the instructions that we have elsewhere given, ordered 
him to cut the two railroads — one running southwest 
through Gordonsville, Charlottesville, and Lynchburg, 
the other to Richmond — and, when compelled to do so, 
to move on the James River and draw from Butler's 
supplies. This move would take him past the entire 
rear of Lee's army. 

In the meantime the great battle of Spottsylvania 
was impending. Lee had, after the Wilderness fight- 
ing, withdrawn his army behind a triple line of in- 
trenchments and intervening thickets against which, on 
the 9th, Grant had massed his men to overwhelm or de- 
stroy him. The men of both armies were taking posi- 
tions for this sanguinary battle when, on the 8th, Sher- 
idan gave orders for the concentration of his cavalry 
in preparation for the expedition. 

He sent for his division commanders and to them 
detailed his plans and instructions, by which he was to 
move out in rear of the enemy, draw the Confederate 
cavalry after him, and then fight and defeat them. 

140 



SHERIDAN'S RAID AROUND LEE 141 

" I have told General Meade," he said, " that I 
could whip Stuart's cavalry if he would let me. It 
was my own proposition, and now we are going to 
do it! I shall expect success, and nothing else, from 
you." 

At first this proposition staggered his division com- 
manders by its boldness ; for it was not only a challenge 
for battle with the whole Confederate cavalry, but in 
executing so audacious a movement they would also 
naturally have to encounter other armed forces thrown 
out by the enemy. Hitherto, expeditions of mounted 
men had made raids, but they were simply hurried 
rides through hostile territory to cut telegraph wires 
and destroy railroads and bridges, without fighting, ex- 
cept in self-defense when their way was obstructed or 
as a measure of protection against pursuit. 

Early the next morning, after receiving orders from 
Meade and Grant, Sheridan, having made his prepara- 
tions with lightning rapidity, started out on his great 
adventure, with Merritt's division in the lead. Each 
cavalryman carried three days' rations for himself and 
half a day's ration of grain for his horse. This grand 
array of horsemen moved out at a walk, the moving 
column making a formidable appearance. When well 
closed up in marching order, four abreast, the column 
was thirteen miles long. According to a Southerner 
who saw the column moving, it took four hours for it 
to pass at a tret, a given point. 

The commander of the Confederate cavalry was not 
long in learning of the movement. In two hours' time 
it had caught up ; General Stuart had sent Fitzhugh Lee 



142 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

with his cavalry to attack Sheridan's force; and Wick- 
ham's brigade of his division began to harass the rear. 
At one time, when a section of a New York battery 
was charged upon by the Confederates, an officer 
fought his way to the artillery and, placing his hand 
upon one of the guns, exclaimed imperiously, " This 
gun is mine! " " Not by a blamed sight! " said the 
rough cannoneer; and, disdaining to shoot him, 
knocked him from his horse with his fist and made him 
prisoner. The men had become imbued with the spirit 
and confidence of their great commander. 

Stuart had meanwhile directed his whole command 
to unite the next day at Beaver Dam Station, to resist 
the audacious raiders. After Merritt's division had 
passed the North Anna River, the gallant Custer, com- 
manding one of his brigades, went forward to Beaver 
Dam Station for the purpose of cutting the Virginia 
Central Railroad, in order to hinder the Confederate 
army from getting supplies of ammunition and food. 
While on his way he encountered a small force of the 
Confederates, which, with his usual impetuous energy, 
he speedily drove before him, charged into the Beaver 
Dam Station, recaptured about four hundred Union 
prisoners already embarked on the cars for Richmond, 
destroyed the station and three trains of cars, and two 
locomotives, ninety wagons, eight miles or more of 
railroad, besides telegraph lines, and two hundred 
thousand pounds of bacon, with a large quantity of 
medical stores intended for Lee's army. Also a large 
quantity of small arms were gathered from the battle- 
field. The reader can well understand how glad the 



SHERIDAN'S RAID AROUND LEE 143 

Union prisoners were to be liberated, and how they 
cheered again and again and rejoiced at their de- 
liverance. Here, in sight of burning buildings and 
blazing cars, the main body of Sheridan's cavalry 
rested for the night; though not without interruption, 
for the skirmishers of the enemy buzzed around them 
like angry hornets disturbed in their nests. 

By the morning of the 10th a few shell, thrown into 
the camp of Gregg's division, showed that the enemy's 
cavalry had concentrated a large force there. The 
quick pop, pop, pop of carbines and muskets began 
to sound like firecrackers at a Fourth-of-July celebra- 
tion, as brisk skirmishing took place. The march was 
soon resumed to Ground Squirrel Bridge across the 
North Anna River. 

Stuart, discovering that he had made a mistake in 
concentrating his cavalry at Beaver Dam Station, be- 
gan to make great efforts to retrieve the error by try- 
ing to get between Sheridan and Richmond. He 
finally reached Yellow Tavern, six miles from that 
city, on the morning of the nth of May. 

Sheridan had confused the rebel leader by his baf- 
fling tactics and, unmolested, reached the South bank 
of the North Anna River near Ground Squirrel 
Bridge, got a good night's rest for his men and horses, 
and was able to start them the next morning with fresh 
courage. From here he sent Davis's brigade to destroy 
the track of the Fredricksburg Railroad at Ashland. 
In moving there Davis had a severe fight with the 
Virginia cavalry, but succeeded in destroying bridges 
and trestles and miles of railroad track, besides a 



144 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

number of cars. This movement further deceived and 
mystified the enemy as to Sheridan's intentions. 

The appearance of Davis's brigade at Ashland threw 
Stuart into a state of uncertainty again, and he made 
the mistake of dividing his forces for the purpose of 
harassing Sheridan's rear. This enabled the Union 
commander to concentrate almost his entire corps on 
Stuart at Yellow Tavern, while a small rearguard 
fought and amused the pursuers of Davis. 

Merritt, who was made aware of the presence of 
the Confederates on the Ashland and Richmond road 
as he neared the Brook turnpike, hurried forward to 
attack them. He got possession of the turnpike and 
drove the Confederates back several hundred yards 
east of it. Then Sheridan sent Wilson, with an 
additional brigade, to form for battle on the east side 
of the road. The desperate but confident Confederates 
opened a heavy fire from their cavalry; while their 
artillery swept the Brook road with an enfilading fire, 
making it uncomfortably hot for the Union cavalry. 

At this, Sheridan sent the gallant Custer, supported 
by Chapman's brigade, to charge the left of the enemy. 
At a walk Custer began the advance, then quickened 
his pace to a trot, and then to a run. With his long 
hair streaming like a signal to his men, at full speed, 
with clanking of sabers and clattering of hoofs, Custer 
in the lead rushed like a whirlwind upon the foe, with 
Sheridan's dismounted men following. This broke the 
Confederate left and drove his center and right in rout 
from the field. The Confederate grip was broken and 
the battle of Yellow Tavern was won. 



SHERIDAN'S RAID AROUND LEE 145 

It was at this moment that the daring and beloved 
Confederate cavalry leader, Stuart, fell mortally 
wounded in the thick of the fray. This loss of this 
knightly officer was, to the Confederates, perhaps, a 
greater loss than that of the battle itself. They could 
get new men and new horses but never again such a 
cavalry leader as Stuart. Though Sheridan had de- 
feated him, he admired this great leader who had 
hitherto fought so bravely and skillfully. But Stuart 
had met, at last, a foeman worthy of his steel, — one 
as daring as himself and as fervently in love with his 
own cause. 

During this battle Sheridan was among his men 
wherever the fight was fiercest, urging, inspiring, and 
encouraging them. His men and their commanders 
fought the more bravely, because they knew they had 
at last a general who was thoughtful for them, and 
who required from them no exposure to danger that 
he was not willing if need be to take upon himself. 

Though Sheridan had inflicted a terrible, almost 
irreparable, defeat upon his antagonists, yet he had 
not annihilated them. One part retreated toward 
Richmond and the other towards Ashland. Sheridan 
knew that the intelligence of his presence near the' 
Confederate capital was known there and that the 
greatest efforts would be made to get together forces 
for his defeat. 

After the battle that we have described, Sheridan 
sent out a reconnoitering force on the Brook turnpike. 
With their commander following, this force dashed 
across the South fork of the Chickahominy. It had 



146 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

been raining, and the roads were hard to travel; for 
Virginia roads are unequaled for the quality as well 
as quantity of mud that can be produced with but 
little rain for mixing. The enemy were followed into 
the exterior fortifications of Richmond. Here Sher- 
idan found a road between the two lines of works of 
the outer defenses, by which he thought he might 
reach the South side of the Chickahominy and encamp 
the next night at Fair Oaks. The colored people had 
told him that General Butler had reached a point 
within about three miles of Richmond, and he thought 
if he could get through on this road, it would not only 
shorten the way to Haxall's, but he might help Butler. 
(But this information of Butler's position was after- 
wards found to be incorrect.) So, after caring for 
the wounded, about eleven o'clock that night he began 
the march and massed his cavalry by daylight on the 
1 2th south of Meadow Bridge. 

This march during the night was at times in such 
total darkness that a bugler on a white horse in rear 
of the regiment in front was required to lead each 
regiment. At some places that night the darkness 
was lighted up by vivid flames of exploding torpedoes 
that had been planted on the road. These were loaded 
shell so fixed to a wire, that when struck by the 
horses' feet they were exploded. Sheridan learned 
from some prisoners whom he had set to work to re- 
move them, that these torpedoes had been planted 
there by the owner of one of the neighboring houses. 
He therefore ordered them conveyed to the cellar of 
the house, with arrangements to explode them if the 



SHERIDAN'S RAID AROUND LEE 147 

enemy's cavalry came that way, while the owner and 
his family were held until it was light. 

At one time a portion of his artillery was guided to 
a place by a man wearing the uniform of a Union 
soldier. He led them into ambush on the grounds 
of a near-by residence, where they were met by a blaze 
of musketry from concealed enemies. The man who 
had led them into this trap was shot without cere- 
mony. 

Richmond was meanwhile greatly frightened and 
excited, for it was believed that the city was Sheridan's 
objective. Three brigades of veteran soldiers were 
hurried up from in front of the Union forces com- 
manded by General Butler, which, with about five 
thousand irregular troops in the city, made quite a 
formidable force. 

When, on the 12th, Wilson's division of Sheridan's 
command had reached the Mechanicsville Pike, they 
encountered the Confederate works and batteries 
manned by Bragg's soldiers. Sheridan thought it was 
not wise to attempt to pass to Fair Oaks between the 
enemy's intrenchments and the Chickahominy, and 
Custer was instructed to attempt a crossing of that 
river at Meadow Bridge. When Custer reached there 
he found that the bridge had been destroyed, and that 
the Confederate cavalry was on the other side. On 
learning this, Sheridan ordered the whole of Merritt's 
division to repair the bridge. 

The Confederates kept up an annoying fire, sweep- 
ing the bridge with artillery and with musketry. 
When at last Merritt was able to send over two regi- 



148 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

ments to drive them away, they were repulsed by the 
enemy, who had intrenched behind logs and rails. The 
construction of the bridge, however, was continued 
and, when finished, the rebels were driven out and 
went scampering toward Gaines's Mill. 

While the foregoing incidents were taking place, 
the situation of Gregg and Wilson before the defenses 
of Richmond looked bad. They were within a line of 
the Confederate defenses and threatened on all sides. 
South of them, within the garrison of Richmond, was 
an unknown force; on the east, Merritt was fighting 
for the bridge, while on the north Gregg was fighting 
to hold off Gordon's cavalry. It certainly looked like 
a trap, with the Union cavalry on the inside and the 
Confederate cat watching outside. 

In this emergency a veteran artillery officer was 
sending his caissons towards the bridge, as that looked 
to be the only avenue of escape in case of the disaster 
which seemed impending. Just then Sheridan rode 
up, saw what was going on, and laughingly inquired, 
" What are you doing with those caissons? " 

" It looks to me," said the veteran, " as though we 
were in a mighty tight fix." 

" A tight fix ! " exclaimed Sheridan. " Why, there 
is nothing before you but department clerks from 
Richmond, and they are trembling in their boots! I 
can take the city if I want to, but I could not hold it; 
so what would be the use? Send back your caissons, 
we are going to stay here for a while. Take it easy, 
men!" 

Sheridan had sent out some of his men to find fords. 



SHERIDAN'S RAID AROUND LEE 149 

They were found, but Sheridan did not care to use 
them except in an emergency. 

While Merritt was building the bridge, the Con- 
federates from Richmond advanced from behind their 
works and attacked Gregg and Wilson. But Gregg 
had prepared a surprise for them. He had placed 
some of his dismounted men among the bushes of a 
ravine, and when the enemy with a great deal of 
pomp and display had reached the right spot, these 
men opened lire with their repeating carbines. At the 
same time the horse artillery belched shot and shell 
into their ranks, causing this imposing force to 
scamper back the way they came, but not with the 
same confidence. It was said that this attack took 
place under the eye of Jefferson Davis. 

Sheridan in thus accepting battle under circum- 
stances that would have appalled a less cool, courage- 
ous, and confident soldier, showed here the same con- 
fident spirit that was afterwards seen at Winchester. 
After the defeat and discomfiture of the enemy, he re- 
mained on the battlefield all day undisturbed, burying 
the dead, caring for the wounded, and reading the 
Richmond papers. 

Two small boys from Richmond came into the 
Union lines to sell newspapers. They were sharp little 
fellows, and Sheridan, believing that they might have 
other views than simply selling their papers, kept them 
until his cavalry were across the Chickahominy and 
then let them go. 

The purpose of the expedition now having been 
mostly accomplished, he joined Wilson and went into 



150 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

camp near Gaines's Mill. The march was then re- 
sumed, and on the 14th of May he reached James 
River with all his wounded and a large number of 
prisoners. These were turned over to General Butler, 
his wounded being nursed and cared for by Butler's 
surgeons and nurses. By the 1 7th he had refitted and 
provisioned his troops and started on his return march, 
crossing the Chickahominy at Jones's Bridge. He did 
not know where the Army of the Potomac was at this 
time, and the problem of reaching it again was some- 
what preplexing. He knew that reinforcements from 
the south had reached Richmond, and that these might 
be used to intercept his march. He sent to Fort 
Monroe for a pontoon bridge on which to cross the 
Pamunkey River, and then sent Gregg and Wilson 
with their divisions to destroy a railroad bridge over 
the South Anna River at Cold Harbor. 

Finding that the railroad bridge near White House 
Landing had been only partially destroyed, he recon- 
structed it. He got the material for this by sending 
out his men, who each brought back a board or plank 
for flooring, and in one day it was ready for use. 
On the 22d the forces that he had sent out under 
Gregg, Wilson, and Custer had returned, and then the 
whole command crossed the river on the reconstructed 
bridge, and rejoined the Army of the Potomac at 
Chesterfield Station, on the 24th of May. 

Sheridan had accomplished all, and more, than he 
had promised. In the fifteen days of his absence he 
had destroyed railroads, bridges, and munitions of 
war, and had helped Grant's army by so disconcerting 



SHERIDAN'S RAID AROUND LEE 151 

Lee that he was forced to make a retrograde march, 
thus enabling the Union army to move its great trains 
unmolested by the enemy. He had, moreover, inflicted 
an almost irreparable defeat on the enemy's cavalry. 
The loss of Stuart, its commander, was a terrible blow 
for Lee, who said, " I can scarcely think of him with- 
out weeping." 

Grant and Meade were profoundly satisfied with 
what Sheridan had accomplished; while he, on his 
part, had demonstrated the correctness of his views in 
regard to the use of the cavalry, so that there were no 
more disagreements with Meade as to the proper 
method of its management. During this expedition, 
with clear insight of his surroundings in the midst of 
dangers and uncertainties that shook strong hearts, 
Sheridan showed that spirit of undaunted courage and 
confidence which marks a great leader of men. 



CHAPTER XIV 

THE FIGHT FOR COLD HARBOR 

When Sheridan again joined the Army of the 
Potomac, the twelve days' terrible conflict that had 
centered around Cold Harbor had been fought and 
Grant, by a series of complicated movements, was 
swinging his great army across the North Anna River. 

Both armies were disappointed at the results of the 
fighting since Grant had crossed the Rapidan River. 
The Confederates who had been accustomed to see the 
Army of the Potomac fall back after every indecisive 
battle, had hoped, or expected, that Grant would fol- 
low the example of its former commanders. But 
Grant was not the kind of general to turn back and go 
home after an uncertain conflict. He was, however, 
disappointed at not gaining greater results; for the 
twelve days' battle before Spottsylvania convinced him 
that the position of Lee, as defended, was impregnable; 
and that to deal his antagonist a crushing blow he must 
adopt other tactics. It was, however, significant to his 
mind, that Lee no longer cared to come out from be- 
hind his defenses and give battle on equal terms. 

Baffled in his earlier purpose, Grant now began a 
turning movement by a flank march to the left. 
Wilson's division of Sheridan's cavalry was sent to the 
right flank of the army to shield and protect the 

152 



THE FIGHT FOR COLD HARBOR 153 

infantry, and to hold the fords left behind on its 
march south. 

While Wilson was thus engaged, Sheridan, with 
[Torbett's and Gregg's division, shielded the crossing 
of the army over the Pamunkey River, near Hanover 
Town. To do this in the face of a vigilant enemy was 
(difficult, for if the Confederates knew where the Army 
of the Potomac was to make the crossing they could 
gather such a force on the opposite side as to make it 
impossible to cross without a battle. My readers may 
be interested to know how the Union army was 
shielded, or covered, and the enemy deceived, so as to 
make the crossing of this great army possible and 
easy. 

Sheridan sent Torbett's division to Taylor's Ford 
and Gregg to Hanover Town Ford, and these were 
followed by Russell's division of infantry. At these 
points they made a great parade as though about to 
make a crossing there. Then, when night came, leav- 
ing a small force still to guard these fords, they 
marched back to Hanover Town and, after driving 
away about a hundred of the enemy's cavalry, the 
crossing was successfully made, and by the 28th the 
whole army was on the south bank of the Pamunkey 
River. 

After this, General Grant, being very uncertain 
where Lee's army was and what it was doing, asked 
Sheridan to find out by making a reconnaissance. 
With this in view Sheridan sent Gregg's division to 
Haws' Shop, and when about a mile beyond he found 
the Confederate cavalry behind a breastwork of rails, 



154 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

logs, and earth. As soon as possible Gregg dis- 
mounted his men and attacked. The fight was very 
sharp and stubborn, for he had encountered the two 
cavalry divisions of Hampton's and Fitzhugh Lee's, 
and also Butler's brigade of South Carolina mounted 
troops armed with long-range rifles. The fight con- 
tinued until late in the evening. Sheridan sent Custer 
to help Gregg; and after a desperate fight they cap- 
tured several parts of the enemy's intrenchments. 
But the Confederates still persisted in fighting for the 
position, since Lee desired to hold it to protect the 
roads to Richmond, while he marched his army to the 
Tolopotomy River. 

Grant having, meanwhile, discovered the value of 
this place as a protection to his new base of supplies 
at the White House, and also as a direct route to 
Cold Harbor, was equally desirous to possess it, and 
therefore an obstinate effort was made by both the 
Confederates, and the Union troops under Sheridan. 
Finally, late in the evening, Custer on foot formed in 
rear of Gregg's division and attacked the enemy 
through an opening which had been made near the 
center, while the other two brigades attacked and 
captured their intrenchments. 

The Confederates, seeing they were beaten, re- 
treated, leaving their dead and wounded in the hands 
of the Union troops, and also a number of prisoners, 
from whom it was learned that Longstreet's and 
Ewell's corps were but a few miles in the rear. The 
battle was a severe one, and took place almost in 
sight of some of the Union infantry that were throw- 



THE FIGHT FOR COLD HARBOR 155 

ing up intrenchments to hold the place. The Con- 
federate five brigades outnumbered Sheridan's three 
brigades, and he thought that he should have been 
assisted by the infantry close at hand. This action 
not only gave Grant the crossroads at this point, but 
also revealed to him the fact that Lee was moving his 
army by the right flank and still interposing between 
him and James River. 

This will illustrate to my readers that when a gen- 
eral cannot gain information of his enemy's purpose 
in any other way, he has to fight to get it. 

After the battle, waiting only to bury his dead, 
Sheridan marched all night, reaching a place called Old 
Church in the morning. Here, pushing his pickets to- 
wards Cold Harbor, he discovered that the Con- 
federates were occupying it with a considerable force. 
Grant realized that it was necessary to occupy Cold 
Harbor, not only to secure his communications with 
the supplies at White House, but also to disguise the 
fact that his troops were marching towards James 
River. It was also a point from which many roads 
radiated, not only to different crossings of the Chicka- 
hominy River, which were absolutely indispensable 
to Grant, but to other important points. The Con- 
federates also realized its importance, as by its pos- 
session they constantly endangered Grant's trains as 
they passed to and from the White House conveying 
supplies to the Union army. 

When Sheridan, from his position at Old Church, 
discovered the Confederates at Cold Harbor, some 
sharp fighting took place, each side dismounting and 



156 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

stubbornly contesting the ground. Finally Sheridan 
sent Merritt's and Custer's brigades into the fight, 
when the enemy fell back and were pursued within a 
mile of Cold Harbor, on the Old Church road. 

On the morning of the 31st, in conference with 
Torbett and Custer, Sheridan formed a plan to capture 
Cold Harbor. With this in view he sent Merritt's and 
Custer's brigades on the road direct to Cold Harbor, 
while Devens's brigade was sent by a road at the left 
to get in rear of the enemy's lines. When the whole 
division got into line it was confronted by Fitzhugh 
Lee's cavalry, supported by an infantry brigade, be- 
hind an improvised breastwork of logs, rails, and 
earth. These opened a heavy fire at once upon Sher- 
idan's cavalry, and it seemed impossible to dislodge 
them from the position, for Gregg's division had not 
arrived. The fight went on with varying success for 
a while, when Merritt, with the First and Second 
Cavalry, got around the Confederate left flank and 
attacked his rear, while the remainder of the division 
attacked them in front. Exposed to a fire in front and 
rear, the Confederates broke and retreated, and Sher- 
idan was in possession of their works. He then moved 
forward on the Bottom Bridge road, and Cold Harbor 
was in his possession. 

He at once sent word to Meade that he had captured 
Cold Haror, but could not hold it, as the Confederate 
infantry, under Hoke, were marching on that point. 
During the night he withdrew his division, but was 
scarcely on the road before he got word from Gen- 
eral Meade to hold the place at all hazard. He at 



THE FIGHT FOR COLD HARBOR 157 

once reversed his march and, before the enemy had 
discovered his absence, again reoccupied the place. 
His men at once availed themselves of the breastworks 
of logs and rails built by the Confederates, reversed 
them in some places, strengthened them in others, or 
moved them so as to take advantage of the ground. 
When these intrenchments were made as strong as 
circumstances would permit, the ammunition boxes 
were taken from the carriages and ranged conveniently 
for supplying ammunition to the force along the 
breastworks. The men took their places and word 
was passed along that the place must be held. 

Before daylight Kershaw's division of Confederate 
infantry marched up with confident step and began an 
attempt to drive them out by moving against Sher- 
idan's right flank from Bethesda Church. They were 
confident because they knew that the force holding the 
position they were about to assail was " nothing but 
cavalry." Their confidence was misplaced, for Sher- 
idan, a host in himself, was behind the frail barricade, 
directing the fight. He instructed his men to hold their 
fire until the Confederates were close up to the in- 
trenchments; then an awful fire from his horse 
artillery and repeating carbines made the enemy break 
in confusion, leaving their dead and wounded to mark 
the terrible repulse they had received. Again they 
tried to take the position, but with less confidence, and 
were easily driven back. After this second repulse 
Sheridan was left undisturbed, and he sent the follow- 
ing dispatch to army headquarters, dated June 1st, 
9 A. M. : 



158 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

" General : In obedience to your instructions I am 
holding Cold Harbor. I have captured this morning 
more prisoners; they belong to three different infantry 
brigades. The enemy assaulted the right of my line 
this morning, but were handsomely repulsed. I have 
been very apprehensive, but General Wright is now 
coming up." 

About ten o'clock in the morning the Sixth Corps 
relieved Sheridan, who then sent out Torbett and 
Davis to cover the left of the infantry, where they re- 
mained until, in the afternoon, Hancock's corps took 
their place. Then he took a position on the north side 
of the Chickahominy River near Bottom Bridge, where 
he remained until June 6. 



CHAPTER XV 

BREAKING LEE'S COMMUNICATIONS 

While Sheridan was resting his cavalry at Bottom 
Bridge, the battle of Cold Harbor had been fought by 
Grant. This assault, which was made on Lee's in- 
trenched lines June 3, 1864, was Grant's one great 
mistake. He lost at this time nearly six thousand of 
the flower of his army, — seasoned veterans who could 
not be replaced by raw recruits. In his " memoirs " 
Grant deals himself this severe criticism: " I have al- 
ways regretted that that last assault at Cold Harbor 
was ever made. . . . No advantage whatever was 
gained to compensate for the heavy loss we sustained." 
In agreeing with this candid acknowledgment, we are 
apt to lose sight of his motives for fighting that battle. 
Both the right and left wings of Lee's army were 
practically unassailable, and it was contrary to Grant's 
resolute nature to go to the south side of James River 
without one more attempt to destroy Lee's army north 
of Richmond. He knew that the task was difficult; it 
proved to be impossible. 

When convinced of this, Grant determined to con- 
tinue the turning movement to the south side of James 
River. This movement was a dangerous one and 
hampered by many obstacles ; for Lee held an interior 
line from which he could cover all the roads to Rich- 

159 



160 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

mond with his infantry, leaving his cavalry free to 
hinder and spy out the movements of Grant's army 
on the south bank of the Chickahominy. 

In view of this dangerous situation, Grant resolved 
to send Sheridan on another raid, not only for the pur- 
pose of drawing off the Confederate cavalry, but to 
disconcert and hinder all of Lee's operations by de- 
stroying his communications. We are now about to 
tell how this was done and how Sheridan acquitted 
himself in doing it. 

On the 5th of June Sheridan received the following 
instructions from Meade : " With two divisions of 
your corps you will move, on the morning of the 7th 
instant, to Charlottesville and destroy the railroad 
bridge over the river Anna near that town; you will 
then thoroughly destroy the railroad from that point 
to Gordonsville ; and from Gordonsville towards 
Hanover Junction, and to the latter point if practi- 
cable." 

After receiving these instructions, Sheridan received 
from General Grant verbal instructions, and a letter 
to General Hunter, who was operating from the 
Shenandoah Valley, — instructing the latter to advance 
as far as Charlottesville. The two commands were 
there to destroy the James River Canal, the Virginia 
Central Railroad, and then rejoin the Army of the 
Potomac. 

On the 7th of July, taking Gregg's and Torbett's 
divisions, Sheridan started out on his adventure of 
arms. He carried with him a train of canvas pon- 
toons, in other words frames over which canvas was to 



BREAKING LEE'S COMMUNICATIONS 161 

be stretched for boats, with " balks " or string pieces, 
which were to be placed five each from boat to boat, 
and " chess," as the planks for flooring of the bridge 
are called. Each cavalryman carried for himself three 
days' rations, and on his saddle two days' short forage 
for his horse. 

After he had crossed the North Anna River and 
was marching along its north bank, Sheridan learned 
from some Confederate soldiers whom he had cap- 
tured, that the enemy's cavalry had left the south side 
of the Chickahominy and were marching toward 
Gordonsville, and also that Breckinridge, of their in- 
fantry, was on its way to that place, moving by the 
road parallel to Sheridan's line of march. 

On the evening of the ioth Sheridan bivouacked 
Hampton, with a cavalry division, had encamped about 
about three miles from Trevillion Station; while 
three miles north-west of the same place and Fitzhugh 
Lee's division was about six miles from that place. 
So, as my readers will see, the cavalry of the two 
armies were drawing together for the inevitable con- 
flict. The Confederates had separated their forces, 
Hampton on one road and Fitzhugh Lee on another, 
with the purpose of uniting later. This, in a wooded 
country, is generally risky, and especially so with a 
watchful enemy, like Sheridan, before them. 

On the morning of the nth, while advancing on 
the road to Trevillion, Sheridan encountered the 
pickets of the enemy, and, driving them before them, 
Torbett's division came upon the Confederates, under 
Hampton, in some thick timber behind intrenchments 



1 62 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

extending across the road for some distance. Mean- 
while Sheridan had instructed Custer to take a road 
through the woods to the left, to get in the rear of 
Hampton's cavalry. In doing this Custer got sand- 
wiched between Fitzhugh Lee and Hampton, without 
knowing it. When, however, he had got in Hampton's 
rear, he captured the station, and a large number of 
horses, wagons, and caissons, and sent them to the 
rear; in all about three hundred and fifty men and 
their horses were among the captures. Meanwhile 
Fitzhugh Lee, while attempting to join Hampton's 
cavalry, came upon the wagon train and took all that 
Custer had captured from Hampton, except the 
prisoners, besides some of Custer's own wagons, in- 
cluding his headquarters' wagon, in which was his 
colored cook, Eliza, or as the men called her, the 
" Queen of Sheba." 

When one of his guns were captured his artillery- 
man told Custer that he thought the " rebs " in- 
tended to keep that gun. Custer, in a great rage, ex- 
claimed, " They sha'n't do it! " and leading a charge 
he re-captured it and had it dragged away by hand. 

Custer had so cut up and disconcerted Hampton, 
that the latter sent Rosser's brigade to fight him. This 
brought Custer between two fires, Fitzhugh Lee's and 
Rosser's, and there ensued a desperate struggle for 
the possssion of the captured teams, wagons, and 
other property. 

When Sheridan heard the quick pop, pop, crack, 
crack, of carbines and rifles that announced the pres- 
ence of Custer in Hampton's rear, he dircted Torbett 



BREAKING LEE'S COMMUNICATIONS 163 

with his division and a brigade of Grgg's to attack. 
This drove Hampton back to Custer's lines, and the 
latter took his revenge for the injuries which we have 
recounted, by capturing about five hundred of Hamp- 
ton's men, while the rest got off in disorder to the 
west of Trevillion Station before their commander 
could rally them. This defeat of the rebel cavalry 
left Sheridan in undisturbed possession of the Station, 
the Confederates being so disunited that they did not 
effect a junction of their scattered forces until next 
day at noon. 

After tearing up the railroad track for some dis- 
tance, Sheridan, well satisfied with his day's work, 
encamped for the night. The next morning, June 12, 
he ordered Gregg to destroy the railroad to Louisa 
Court House, and the work was continued all 
day. 

Learning by this time that General Hunter was 
marching from instead of towards him, Sheridan saw 
that it was impracticable to form the junction desired 
by Grant; he therefore determined to return to the 
Army of the Potomac as soon as possible, having 
performed all that was contemplated, except that part 
given verbally by the Commander-in-Chief. With this 
in view he sent Torbett out on the Gordonville road to 
find a direct route for his return march. About a 
mile out Torbett came upon the Confederate cavalry 
intrenched across the fork of two roads, one of them 
leading to Charlottesville. The concentration of the 
Confederate force at this point obstructed the shorter 
route, by way of Mallory's Ford, by which Sheridan 



164 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

wished to take his corps back to the Army of the 
Potomac. 

Torbett sent one of his brigades to an open field to 
attack the left of the enemy's position, while his second 
brigade was held in reserve. The fight began, but 
Torbett, outnumbered, had all and more than he could 
attend to; for with Hampton in front and Fitzhugh 
Lee on his right the coveted road, when night came, 
was held by the enemy. 

Though Sheridan might by a battle next day gain 
the road, yet it would consume the ammunition he had 
left and he thought it not prudent to fight another 
battle. So, when night came, he gave orders to with- 
draw. 

General Sheridan reported his losses in this battle 
as 575, and of this number 490 were wounded. 
Hampton's report shows that he lost in killed, 
wounded, and missing 612. 

On the night of June 12 Sheridan began his return 
march to Grant's army by the same road on which he 
had come. He took with him all the injured that 
could be moved, leaving his most desperately wounded 
under care of one of his surgeons, with plenty of food 
and medical stores. On the following morning they 
halted at Carpenter's Ford on the north side of the 
North Anna River, where they unsaddled their horses 
and let them graze; for the poor animals had had 
neither food nor water for two days. Late that after- 
noon they continued their march and proceeded to 
Twyman's Store. He learned, meanwhile, that the 
Confederate cavalry, under Hampton, was moving 



BREAKING LEE'S COMMUNICATIONS 165 

down the south side of the North Anna to intercept 
their return to the Army of the Potomac. The march 
was resumed on the 14th, when they reached Shady 
Grove Church; and on the following day they passed 
over the old Spottsylvania battleground. Here, in the 
neighboring houses, they found many wounded Union 
and Confederate soldiers of whom they brought away 
all that were able to travel. 

Nothing could exceed Sheridan's solicitude for the 
wounded. His tender care for both Confederates and 
his own men was constant, and was marked by all who 
were with him. Though his heart seemed adamant in 
of conveyance for their comfort, from ordinary army 
men came under his charge. He utilized every kind 
battle, he was as pitying as a woman when wounded 
wagons, to family carriages, decrepit buggies, and 
gigs. His own headquarters' wagon was turned over 
by him to his medical director, that there might be 
ample conveniences to treat the wounded. 

His prisoners were a great burden for him to feed 
and guard; but when some one suggested that he 
parole them and let them go, he said, " In that case it 
might be hard to convince people that we have taken 
any prisoners." 

The difficulty of feeding those in his charge was 
complicated by about two thousand " contrabands," 
as the negro slaves were called, that had joined them 
from time to time with bundles that seemed to contain 
all their earthly possessions. They had joined him in 
the belief that freedom and the " day of jubilee " lay 
in his path, or at least was ahead where Sheridan was 



1 66 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

going, and he had not the heart to turn back these 
poor people who had put their trust in him. 

He had heard nothing about the Army of the 
Potomac, except rumors from Southern sources, since 
starting out, and therefore did not think it prudent, 
encumbered as he was with prisoners and his wounded, 
to pass between the Mattapony and Pamunkey rivers. 
He therefore marched down the north bank of the 
Mattapony to Queen's Court House, where he learned 
that the Union depot of supplies at the White House 
had not been abandoned and that supplies for him 
were waiting there. So, sending his prisoners, con- 
traband followers, and the wounded to West Point on 
the York River under escort, he bridged the Mattapony 
with his pontoons and crossed at Dunkirk to the south 
bank. 

The weather was hot and the roads were dusty ; but 
no longer encumbered with the prisoners, wounded, 
and colored contraband followers that had made their 
marches short and slow, — for the trains had stopped 
often to refresh the wounded as well as to make it easy 
for those afoot, — he marched speedily forward to 
White House on the Pamunkey River. While on the 
march he received intelligence that the place was about 
to be attacked. But a party that he had hurried for- 
ward previous to this time sent back word that he had 
better not push his jaded horses, as the crisis would 
pass, in any case, before he could arrive. 

Arriving at White House he found the enemy on 
the surrounding hills, but they were soon driven away. 
A small force of invalid soldiers and colored infantry 



BREAKING LEE'S COMMUNICATIONS 167 

was here, commanded by the brave General Getty, who 
was on his way to join his command. While here 
Sheridan got orders to break up the White House sta- 
tion and bring the trains to Petersburg. All being in 
readiness, he began his march with nine hundred 
wagons in charge, on the 14th of June. That night 
the train was parked on the south side of the Chicka- 
hominy, guarded by the men mentioned as under the 
command of the veteran General Getty. 

Torbett pushed out to secure the crossing at Jones's 
Bridge, when, on the 23d, he was attacked and driven 
back; but Getty came to his help and drove the Con- 
federates in turn. 

Sheridan had been ordered to cross James River at 
Deep Bottom, where there was a pontoon bridge, and 
the route by which he was to march would carry him 
by Harrison's Landing, Charles City Court House, 
and Malvern Hill. The enemy held nearly all of this 
ground from the Chickahominy, except the crossing 
itself; and so, encumbered with an immense train of 
five hundred wagons, his route was strewn with dif- 
ficulties. 

Hampton, believing that Sheridan intended to cross 
his trains at Bottom Bridge, concentrated most of his 
force except one brigade, which he planned to throw 
across Sheridan's path on the river road. Guessing 
at his purpose, Gregg got his men behind hastily con- 
structed barricades in readiness to fight. The storm 
came at about four o'clock in the afternoon, when 
Hampton assailed Gregg along his whole line. He 
sent back word to Sheridan, but the messages did not 



168 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

reach him until darkness came. Meanwhile, becoming 
convinced that he could no longer hold out, after 
getting his lead horses and wounded on their way, 
stubbornly resisting, Gregg retreated until Hampton 
gave up the pursuit. His brave fight against superior 
numbers had saved the trains, though his losses were 
heavy, and he was obliged to abandon his dead and 
desperately wounded. 

It looked as though the task of saving the trains was 
hopeless, for, as we have already hinted, all the Con- 
federate cavalry would be thrown across the path while 
on its way. 

Meade seemed to have divined this, and sent a 
ferryboat to convey Sheridan across James River, 
while the trains were moved back to Douthard's Land- 
ing and brought across the James in the same manner. 

When at last, on the 29th of June, the cavalry 
crossed the James and went into camp, a little rest 
seemed in store for them; but instead Sheridan was 
ordered to go to the relief of Wilson who, it will be 
remembered, had been left behind to act as an infantry 
auxiliary. He was returning from a raid he had made 
on the Confederate railroads south of James River, 
when he met an overwhelming force of the enemy. 
But Wilson escaped from the network of enemies and 
returned to the Union army before Sheridan could 
reach him. 

The final operations of the cavalry, previous to 
Sheridan's being sent to command in the Shenandoah 
Valley, were brilliant. It participated in a cooperative 
movement by a force under General Hancock, by pass- 



BREAKING LEE'S COMMUNICATIONS 169 

ing the Appomattox and taking two hundred and fifty- 
prisoners at an affair called the Battle of the Point of 
Rocks. This service completed his work with the 
cavalry corps of the Army of the Potomac. 

Sheridan had found the corps a subject of derision, 
a mere appendage performing the duties of an auxiliary 
force to infantry. He had converted it from videttes 
and guards into a conquering army of horsemen, a 
mobile and effective force having confidence in itself 
and in its great commander. From being a subject of 
derision it had become, under him, a powerful, ad- 
mired, and respected arm of the service; he had lifted 
it from degradation into a place of power. 



CHAPTER XVI 

SHERIDAN LEADS AN ARMY INTO THE SHENANDOAH 
VALLEY (AugUSt, 1 864) 

After the dreadful losses at Cold Harbor the Army 
of the Potomac and that of Northern Virginia took a 
breathing spell, in order to plan and prepare for fresh 
struggles. Grant moved to the south side of James 
River, where he began to invest Petersburg and to send 
out troops to cut off the railroads on which Lee de- 
pended for supplies. Lee, as well as Grant, was well 
shielded by earthworks, from which he made frequent 
sallies for the defense of his " life line," for an army 
can fight only so long as it can be fed. Grant also 
decided that he would, once and for all, put an end 
to the danger that constantly threatened his army 
from the Shenandoah Valley. 

The rivers of Virginia east of the Blue Ridge flow 
in a southeasterly direction, and an overland march 
to Richmond meant that each river had to be forded, 
a difficult and dangerous thing for an army to do in 
the face of an enemy. But west of Blue Ridge the 
Shenandoah River flows northerly, falling into the 
Potomac at Harper's Ferry. This valley, accessible 
by numerous gaps in the Ridge, not only made the 
easiest kind of highway between Virginia and the 
North, but it was a rich farming region capable of 

170 




THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY. 



ARMY IN THE SHENANDOAH 171 

yielding abundant supplies to the Confederate army; 
and it was defended, at first, by the famous Stonewall 
Jackson, whose home it was and who knew every inch 
of the ground. 

Again and again during the war a Confederate 
force had dashed up the Shenandoah Valley, menaced 
Washington, threatened to invade the North, gathered 
a train of plunder for the Confederate army, drawn off 
the Union army from its advance on Richmond, and 
then scurried back to Lee's army before any effective 
pursuit could be made. A large force had to be with- 
drawn from the Union army to guard this Virginia 
highway, and several generals had suffered defeat 
there. If the Shenandoah Valley could be closed 
against raiders Grant could give his entire attention to 
moving against Richmond and Lee's main army. 

So late as May, 1863, General Siegel, commanding 
the Union army in the Valley, had been defeated and 
Grant and Halleck were dissatisfied with him. Gen- 
eral Hunter, a veteran soldier, was appointed in his 
stead. He moved forward with great energy and de- 
feated the Confederates under General Jones at Pied- 
mont, June 5, and then marched to Lynchburg. But 
Lee, recognizing the vital importance of this place to 
the Confederacy, hurried forward reinforcements, and 
Hunter had no choice but to retreat by way of Kan- 
nawha instead of up the Shenandoah Valley. This 
left the Valley undefended, a situation by which the 
Confederates were prompt to profit. And when Lee 
found himself held in the clutches of Grant's army 
before Petersburg, and the Valley undefended, he 



172 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

sent General Early through the Valley to threaten 
Washington, hoping that the alarm of the people and 
government would compel Grant to withdraw a large 
force from his front. 

Early crossed the Potomac and levied a contribution 
of one hundred thousand dollars on Hagerstown, 
Maryland. Consternation prevailed among the people ; 
men, women, and children, with droves of cattle and 
wagons filled with their household goods, thronged the 
roads. On the nth of June Early arrived in front of 
Fort Stevens, which guards the outer portals of the 
National Capital. He was about to advance on the 
fort when, to his dismay, he learned that the Sixth 
Corps from the Army of the Potomac had arrived for 
the defense of Washington. A severe battle, of which 
President Lincoln was a spectator and in which 280 
men were killed and wounded on the Union side, took 
place in sight of the city; but at night, after being 
defeated, Early withdrew his troops and was soon 
across the Potomac again. 

Grant had not been long in command of the Army 
of the Potomac before he discovered the importance 
of the Shenandoah Valley; that it was not only a 
protected lane through which the Confederates could 
pass to assail the states of Maryland and Pennsylvania 
and the National Capital, but that it supplied to Lee's 
army a large part of its subsistence as well as feeding 
the army operating there. He grimly determined to 
cancel the valley henceforth from the map of future 
operations, not only by driving out Early's army but 
also by destroying its mills, livestock, and whatever 



ARMY IN THE SHENANDOAH 173 

else would feed or sustain an army there. With this 
firm purpose in view he looked over his forces, to 
select, if possible, a general who would be able to 
perform a task which had tried to the uttermost every 
other soldier who had fought in this difficult field. 

General Sheridan possessed the entire confidence of 
his chief. He was bold, enthusiastic, and daring, with- 
out being rash; cool, far-seeing, and energetic in exe- 
cution; painstaking in detail, yet broad and compre- 
hensive in his planning ; he had an eye for topography 
telescopic in its breadth and miscroscopic in its details 
of perception. He seemed to carry in his memory and 
mind a map of the country, with all its details, for his 
use in campaigning. It had not been luck or favoritism 
that had brought him to the attention of Grant, but 
victories honestly earned in every position, however 
difficult, in which he had been called to act. In war, it 
is true, success is the criterion of merit; but success 
can only be gained and held by real ability. And so it 
was that Grant chose his young chief of cavalry for a 
service which had so far baffled every commander by 
whom it had been tried. 

At first neither the President nor Secretary Stanton 
had been willing to permit that three geographical 
districts should be consolidated and put under Sher- 
idan's command; but the success of Early in bringing 
war to the very defenses of Washington led to their 
agreeing to it, in substance, when they accepted Grant's 
proposition that Sheridan should command all the 
forces in the field that were to operate against Early. 

On the 4th of August Sheridan arrived in Wash- 



174 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

ington and got orders to report to General Grant at 
Monocacy Junction, whither he had gone from City 
Point. Before reporting to Grant, Sheridan called on 
the President with Secretary Stanton, and in sub- 
stance the following conversation took place : 

" General Sheridan again," said Lincoln, heartily 
extending his hands. " You are going to take the job 
of whipping Early, General Grant tells me. Most of 
those who have so far got into the Valley to fight have 
bitten off more than they could chew; but I sincerely 
hope that you will do the job." 

" I shall do all I can," said Sheridan, modestly, " but 
I hope, and am sure, I shall get the hearty support of 
you and the Secretary of War." 

" Well," said Mr. Lincoln, candidly, " Stanton and 
I both thought, at first, that you were too young for 
such a command ; besides, we didn't like to have three 
important departments consolidated into one; but 
Grant has plowed around that difficulty by having you 
put in command of all the boys in the field fighting 
against Early. I feel satisfied with what he has done, 
and hope for the best." 

Mr. Stanton, meanwhile, did not express himself one 
way or the other; but after leaving the White House 
he said to Sheridan : " I hope you see the importance 
of your appointment, General Sheridan. It is of great 
consequence that you should succeed." 

" I shall do my best," said Sheridan, " as I always 
have." 

On August 6 Sheridan met Grant, as arranged, and 
received his instructions, which, in substance, were: 



ARMY IN THE SHENANDOAH 175 

" Concentrate all your available force in the vicinity of 

Harper's Ferry If the enemy has but a small 

force north of the Potomac, then push south the main 
force and detach a sufficient force to look after the 
raiders and drive them to their homes. . . . There are 
now on the way to join you three other brigades of 
the best cavalry, numbering at least five thousand men 
and horse. 

" In pushing up the Shenandoah Valley, as it is ex- 
pected you will have to go first or last, it is desirable 
that nothing should be left to invite the enemy to re- 
turn. Take all provisions, forage, and stock wanted 
for the use of your command. Such as cannot be 
consumed, destroy. It is not desirable that the build- 
ings should be destroyed — they should rather be pro- 
tected, but the people should be informed that so long 
as an army can subsist among them recurrence of 
these raids must be expected, and we are determined 
to stop them at all hazards. 

" Bear in mind that the object is to drive the enemy 
south." 

From his conference with General Grant Sheridan 
went at once to Harper's Ferry. Here, with Lieu- 
tenant Meigs, the chief engineer officer, he first made 
a study of the maps of the country in which he was to 
operate. His singular ability to learn the topography 
of a country enabled him quickly to fix in his mind 
every important road and stream and all points of 
note west of the Blue Ridge. Meigs' intimate knowl- 
edge of even the farmhouses was readily imparted and 
quickly absorbed by Sheridan. 



176 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

He began by massing his army in front of Harper's 
Ferry. His infantry force comprised the Sixth Corps, 
commanded by Major-General H. G. Wright; one 
division of the Nineteenth Corps, commanded by Gen- 
eral William Dwight; two divisions of West Virginians 
under General George Crook, who had not only been 
a classmate of his at West Point but a boy friend be- 
fore either entered the Military Academy. Torbett 
had been made chief of the cavalry corps, and General 
Wesley Merritt had been placed in command of the 
first cavalry division, which was a part of Sheridan's 
force. In all, his force numbered about 26,000 
men. 

Sheridan was as anxious as either President Lin- 
coln or General Grant to " put himself south of the en- 
emy; " and though, in the end, he gained his successes 
over Early by a front attack, he was always hoping to 
get in his rear and there fight a battle. " I will strike 
Winchester," he said, " which is the key, and pick up 
the parties on the north side of the Potomac." 

On the 10th of August, with the cavalry guarding 
his flanks, he started out from Halltown to take up a 
line between Clifton and Berryville. Early was not to 
be caught napping but, suspicious of Sheridan's inten- 
tions, fell back through Winchester with Sheridan 
pursuing until he came to a halt and took up a strong 
defensive position behind earthworks which extended 
across a narrow valley between Massanutten and 
North mountains. Lee was about to send reinforce- 
ments to him, and Early had asked to have these rein- 
forcements, consisting of Kershaw's division of in- 



ARMY IN THE SHENANDOAH 177 

fantry and Fitzhugh's cavalry from Lee's army, join 
him by way of Port Royal. 

When Sheridan learned of this it gave him great 
anxiety, since his real effective force for battle was 
only about 22,000 men. About this time he got a dis- 
patch from Grant informing that there were two divi- 
sions on their way to reinforce Early and urging him 
to be cautious and act on the defensive, until he had 
compelled Lee by heavy fighting to withdraw a con- 
siderable force from the Valley. In obedience to this 
warning Sheridan examined his maps for a defensive 
line, but could find none short of Halltown; all others 
invited flanking movements from an enemy. So he 
reluctantly retraced his steps, destroying as he went 
mills, forage, and grain, and taking with him all the 
mules and horses that he found, according to Grant's 
instructions, with which he heartily agreed ; " For pov- 
erty," says Sheridan in his " Memoirs," " brings 
prayers for peace more quickly than does the destruc- 
tion of human life." 

On a high hill that almost overhung the town of 
Strasburg the enemy had a signal station from which 
could be seen every movement made by Sheridan. 
This gave an advantage in following up the Union 
army as they fell back. When Sheridan learned that 
Merritt had been attacked by Kershaw's division at the 
crossing of the Shenandoah River, he saw that he 
had fallen back none too soon; for though Merritt 
had captured three hundred prisoners and two battle 
flags, the attack confirmed the intelligence that Early 
was being reinforced from Lee's army. 



178 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

Sheridan's retrograde movement caused great alarm 
in the North, for it was expected that Early was 
again about to invade Pennsylvania and Maryland or 
march on Washington ; and there were even those who 
clamored for Sheridan's removal from his command. 

On the 226. of August the Confederates moved 
close to Sheridan's defensive position at Halltown. 
At one time he thought and hoped that Early was 
about to cross the Potomac again, and he left the way 
" open for him," as he wrote Grant. For, leaving An- 
derson to disguise his movement, Early had moved to 
North Shepardstown, dealing Torbett a rough blow 
on his way. Custer had been able to save his division 
of cavalry only by crossing the river. Sheridan seized 
the Gap of the South Mountain, prepared to get in his 
rear if he should advance on Washington. 

Sheridan was prudent and resisted the temptation 
to attack; but no doubt he was chafing all this time to 
be unleashed. About this time Grant telegraphed him 
that in view of the heavy fighting that had taken place 
near Petersburg for the Weldon Railroad, he believed 
Lee would ask Early to return the troops that he had 
sent him. " Watch closely,'' he said, " and if you find 
this theory correct, push with all vigor." 

August 28th Sheridan moved forward again; but 
it was simply or principally for a reconnaissance to 
find out whether Early had abandoned his projected 
movement into Maryland, if he had ever seriously 
contemplated such a thing. 

Merritt having taken possession of a bridge which 
threatened to interpose a force between Early's right 



ARMY IN THE SHENANDOAH 179 

and left flank, Early attacked him to recover the 
bridge. A severe, fight took place in which Merritt 
was driven back with considerable loss; but as the 
forces neared Sheridan's infantry lines, a division was 
sent to Merritt's help, the Confederates were driven 
back, the bridge retaken, and the Smithfield crossing 
held by Lowell's brigade. 

The next morning Sheridan sent his cavalry, under 
Merritt and Torbett, to Berryville. This alarmed 
Early, and as Averill's cavalry was creating some 
havoc in his rear, he recrossed to the west side of the 
Opequan River, massed his troops so that he could 
protect Winchester, and at the same time tried to break 
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. 

While Sheridan was moving his infantry, Anderson 
had started on his way to return to Lee's army; but 
on his way to cross the Blue Ridge at Ashby's Gap he 
blundered upon Crook's lines at Berryville, and a se- 
vere fight took place, which resulted in Early's decid- 
ing to retain Anderson with him for some time. But 
for this encounter Anderson would have gone back to 
Lee's army and Sheridan would have attacked Early 
sooner than he did by a fortnight. 

All this time Sheridan was constantly vigilant and 
busy preparing for a final battle. Lowell in his let- 
ters to his wife gives us a picture of him, when he 
writes in substance as follows : " He seems never to 
sleep, is never out of temper, and he works like a mill 
owner, as though he had a personal interest in his 
work. You can't report too often to him. If he 
doesn't succeed, he deserves to ! " 



180 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

As a defensive movement the campaign was now 
evidently ended. Sheridan, however, skirmished with 
his cavalry so as to maintain a space of about six miles' 
width between the two armies, so that, when ready, 
he could get his men into position for a surprise at- 
tack upon Early. 

The Union general, not satisfied with the informa- 
tion of the enemy that he had thus far received from 
doubtful citizens and Confederate deserters, now 
originated a new force of scouts. These were made 
up from among his own men, and were formed into 
a battalion commanded by Major H. K. Young of the 
Second Rhode Island Infantry. He disguised these 
men, when occasion required, in Confederate uni- 
forms, and they were paid from the secret service 
fund. From them he learned that an old colored man, 
who was loyal and true, had a written permission to 
go into Winchester twice a week to sell vegetables. 
He also learned from General Crook that a school- 
teacher, by the name of Rachel Wright, was a de- 
voted loyalist, and might aid Sheridan by giving in- 
formation about the Confederate troops. So Sheridan 
wrote a letter, which he concealed in tin foil rolled 
up in shape of a bullet, and sent it to her by this col- 
ored man. In this letter he said : " I learn that you 
still love the old flag. Can you give me the position 
of Early's army and its strength? " 

Miss Wright was very much alarmed when she re- 
ceived this message, for she knew that if it was known 
that she gave information to the Union commander 
her life would be worth little. But she loved the 



ARMY IN THE SHENANDOAH 181 

Union, her father had died in a Southern prison for 
the cause, and this love overcame her fears. She 
wrote a reply, which was wrapped in the tin foil in 
which Sheridan's letter had been sent, so that it could 
be concealed in the mouth of the old colored man who 
took it to Sheridan. In this letter she said : " I have 
no cummunications with the rebels, but I will tell you 
what I know. The division of General Kershaw and 
Cutshaw's artillery . . . have been sent away, 
and no more are expected, as they cannot be spared. 
. . . I will take pleasure hereafter in learning if 
I can of the strength and position, and the bearer may 
call again." 

When this message from the brave Union girl 
reached Sheridan, giving him just the information that 
he wanted, he knew that the hour to strike had come. 
He had resolved to throw forward his whole force 
the next day to fight Early, when a message was re- 
ceived from Grant asking Sheridan to meet him at 
Charleston, whither he was coming to see him. Be- 
fore starting Grant had drawn up a plan of a cam- 
paign for Sheridan, but he found him so confident 
of success and so clear and positive in his views, that 
he said nothing about it. " I saw," he said, " that but 
two words of instruction were necessary; those were, 
GO IN." 

In the following chapter I shall show how Sheridan 
went in and won not only a great battle, but the com- 
mendations of Lincoln and Grant, and caused the 
loyal North to rejoice. 



CHAPTER XVII 

SENDING THE ENEMY WHIRLING 

General Grant, as has been said, found Sheri- 
dan's knowledge of affairs in the Valley so accurate 
and his confidence in success so great, that he at once 
authorized him to attack Early whenever and 
wherever he thought best. 

If Sheridan's opportunity was great, the need of 
action was also great. To those who had not under- 
stood the reason for Sheridan's comparative inactivity, 
it looked, as President Lincoln said, as if " Sheridan 
and Early were facing each other at a deadlock." 
The condition of the public mind was very nervous 
and uncertain. A presidential election was at hand; 
the apparent inaction of Sheridan's army for two 
weeks had begun to excite criticism from the news- 
papers; and the enemies of Lincoln's administration 
were using it as an argument for a change of ad- 
ministration. It was feared that the defeat of Lin- 
coln would mean the defeat of the cause for which 
so much blood had been shed. For it was one of the 
hopes of the Confederates that the election of a 
Democratic administration would give them peace on 
their own terms, — and those terms were an acknowl- 
edgment of their independence, the breaking up of 
the Union. 

182 



SENDING THE ENEMY WHIRLING 183 

The need of action was intensified by other small 
considerations, such as the long-continued interrup- 
tion of traffic because of Early's hold on the Ohio and 
Chesapeake and the Baltimore and Ohio railroads, 
which created such a dearth of coal that the gas com- 
panies of Baltimore and Washington might be com- 
pelled to stop their works. 

Sheridan, from his interview with Grant, went to 
work at once on his preparations for battle. While 
thus engaged, he learned that Early was moving two 
divisions of his infantry toward Martinsburg. This 
gave him an opportunity to strike while his enemy 
was divided, unless Early could reunite his divisions 
by forced marches. 

//'As the reader knows, Opequan Creek was between 
the two armies, four or five miles west of the Union 
army, and was jealously guarded by Early. Two of 
his divisions, as we have said, were ten miles north 
of Winchester and isolated from the rest of his army, 
which occupied the hills and plains covering that city. 
It was Sheridan's intention to strike Early's divided 
army in detail, — in other words to defeat one part of 
it before the other could come to its assistance. 

At three o'clock on Monday morning, September 
19, Wilson with his cavalry, by a quick dash through 
a gorge, captured a small earthwork which he ob- 
stinately held until the arrival of the infantry. The 
Sixth and Nineteenth corps had followed Wilson in 
the order named. 

Opequan Creek is below the level of the surround- 
ing country, and the road on its further side is, for a 



1 84 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

mile or more, on a level with that stream, which winds 
through a long, crooked, wooded ravine through which 
Wilson had attacked. As the Sixth Corps began to 
file out of this ravine, lined with Wilson's wounded 
cavalrymen, they found that Sheridan had already 
preceded them. With his headquarters on an eleva- 
tion, he was superintending the placing of his troops. 
Though at that time there was no particular enthu- 
siasm for him, their impressions gained by the way he 
had so far handled his troops was favorable, yet both 
officers and men expressed great satisfaction when, at 
that early hour, they found him at the front, keenly 
attending to details which they had been accustomed 
to see intrusted to staff officers. The infantry of 
the Sixth Corps at once relieved the cavalry and 
formed, facing west. The direction of Sheridan's 
advance brought his attack full upon Early's isolated 
right. 

At first everything seemed favorable to surprising 
the Confederates and fighting them when divided. 
But a vexatious delay unfortunately occurred, caused 
by the wagon trains of the Sixth Corps and Wilson's 
cavalry blocking the Winchester and Perryville turn- 
pike. This delayed the march of the Nineteenth 
Corps for over two hours and gave Early time to hurry 
up his forces and unite them to ward off the threat- 
ened disaster. While the Sixth Corps confronting the 
enemy, wondered that no more troops appeared, the 
cavalry was transferred to the south side of Abraham 
Creek. 

It was almost noon before the Nineteenth Corps 



SENDING THE ENEMY WHIRLING 185 

reached its place and was formed in three lines on the 
right of the Sixth. Almost any other general, upon 
rinding his plans spoiled, would have waited another 
day to elaborate new plans before giving battle. But 
Sheridan was not made of such dilatory stuff; he had 
come out to fight, and fight he would, in full confi- 
dence that he could beat the enemy on any fair field. 
So new plans were made on the spot, and this was 
now the formation for battle : On the left the Sixth 
Corps, its flank protected by Wilson's cavalry ; in the 
center, the Nineteenth Corps; the Kanawah infantry 
on the right, covered by a division of Merritt's 
cavalry. 

It was nearly noon when the signal gun was fired 
and the men sprang to the ranks. Instructions had 
been given to the advance of the Sixth Corps that the 
direction of attack was to be by the road. As the men 
of the Sixth rushed forward, their ranks were dis- 
ordered by underbrush and small trees. When they 
emerged from these entanglements and saw the ground 
over which they were to attack, its difficulties were 
such that their stout hearts almost failed them. For 
a quarter of a mile before them the ground sloped to 
an irregular and winding ravine, as far as they could 
see. Beyond this was a steep hillside, the Confeder- 
ates in force holding the crest, ready to sweep them 
away with musketry and artillery as they approached. 
The advance halted and threw themselves on the 
ground to avoid the bullets that whistled around them. 
At the farther side of the hollow, if it could be 
reached, the hill was so steep that it gave cover to pro- 



1 86 BOYS' LIFE OF. SHERIDAN 

tect those who could get there, from the fire of the 
enemy above them. 

After some waiting the men sprang to their feet, 
their alignments were corrected, and then, at the top 
of their speed, they ran forward into the hollow. 
From the bottom of this marshy depression they 
could see the steep slopes which they were to ascend 
covered with small evergreen trees, and on the right 
a regiment or more of the enemy, ready to deliver an 
enfilading fire on their ranks as they passed. To re- 
treat was as dangerous as to advance, but these brave 
men had no thought of falling back. So, flounder- 
ing through the marsh, they rushed up the hill until 
the survivors — for many were shot — reached that part 
which was so steep that they were in part sheltered 
from the enemy above them. There getting their 
breath and correcting their alignments, they rushed 
forward to the crest and captured the Confederate 
breastworks, sending to the rear as many prisoners as 
there were men in the division that had made the 
charge. This was on the left of the Union lines, and 
considerable ground was gained; but a desperate re- 
sistance on the right of the line showed that the time 
lost by the delay of the Nineteenth Corps had enabled 
Early to concentrate his troops in a connected line 
of battle. 

While the attack which I have faintly described was 
taking place on the left, the second division under 
Grover had attacked with decided success, defeated, 
and driven before him Gordon's Confederate division. 
But in pursuing the enemy a gap in the lines was made, 



SENDING THE ENEMY WHIRLING 187 

which the gallant Keifer with a small brigade, tried 
in vain to fill. At this moment the Confederates 
struck this weak line and checked Sheridan's ad- 
vance, driving back Ricketts' division and a part of 
Grover's. 

Sheridan was on the field and ordered Russell's re- 
serve division to charge. The charge was a gallant 
affair, led by both Russell and Upton. It struck the 
Confederates with a shock that drove them back to 
their original ground. This success enabled Sheridan 
to reestablish his line, and the regiments that had been 
broken by the attack of Gordon's infantry were re- 
formed in rear of Russell's compact lines. 

This success had, however, been gained at a ter- 
rible loss, for the brave Russell, who was loved by his 
troops, was killed and the gallant Upton wounded, 
while the loss of the division had otherwise been 
heavy in men and officers. Russell's death, especially, 
occasioned great sadness. He had been Sheridan's 
captain and friend in early army life and his loss was 
a personal grief. But soldiers have no time to mourn 
in battle, for all other thoughts than those of victory 
are crowded out in the intensity of the conflict. 

Two hours passed while Sheridan was rearranging 
his lines, issuing fresh ammunition and getting ready 
for a grand turning movement and a front attack, at 
the same time. For this purpose he placed Crook on 
the right of the Nineteenth Corps, with instructions to 
push his men forward when the battle was begun, as a 
turning movement in conjunction with the Nineteenth 
Corps, while Wright swung the Sixth Corps to the 



188 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

left in a half wheel, in concert with Crook's move- 
ments. 

While this was taking place, Sheridan got word 
that Torbett's cavalry was driving the enemy in con- 
sternation and confusion along the Martinsburg road. 
This was what he was waiting for. Feeling that he 
now had Early in his grasp, he rode with terrible 
speed along the whole length of the skirmish line, 
without heeding the storm of bullets which cut the 
air around him, crying out to the men, " Crook and 
Averill are on their left and rear, and, by George, 
men, we've got 'em bagged ! " 

The order came to advance. The line of blue, with 
flags fluttering all along the ranks, swept forward like 
a mighty wave with a crest of glittering steel. " As 
terrible as an army with banners " was no metaphor: 
it was a living reality along that wall of blue. The 
line reached within easy musket shot of the enemy, 
with the artillery rattling up close behind, — closer than 
veteran soldiers ever before saw it in a fight. For it 
was Sheridan's expressed wish that the artillery 
should have their part in the work of the day. 

" The enemy contested the ground in front with 
great obstinacy and courage. Crook had swept around 
Gordon toward the right of the Confederate line held 
by Breckinridge as a protection for their rear. The 
ground was open in front of Breckinridge, and Tor- 
bett drove Fitzhugh Lee before him until, in the shel- 
ter of Breckinridge's ranks, he attempted to make a 
stand. Then Torbett, taking advantage of the open 
ground, charged with such momentum as to break the 



SENDING THE ENEMY WHIRLING 189 

Confederate left, while Averill was passing in its rear. 
Meanwhile Merritt's brigades, under the brave Cus- 
ter, the devoted Lowell, and the brave Deven, literally 
rode down the Confederates, taking a battery of guns 
and 1200 prisoners. 

Pressed on flank and front, the Confederates with- 
drew into some old fortifications in front of Winches- 
ter in a vain attempt to hold back the Union advances. 
They bravely received and endured the heavy fire for 
a while, and then the soldiers of the Sixth and Nine- 
teenth corps saw them break and melt away. Then 
the left of the Confederate line rushed in mad confu- 
sion past the Union left. The cavalry pursued and 
caught up with the mass of fugitives, capturing flags, 
cannon, and thousands of prisoners. The whole in- 
fantry line, seized as with a common impulse, in a cir- 
cling crescent rushed joyfully forward with tumultu- 
ous shouts and cheers of victory. The enemy at- 
tempted to rally, but soon fled precipitately up the 
Valley pike, a disorganized and defeated mob. 

Up to this time, the tired soldiers had found no 
time to eat during the day, and they brought sharp 
appetites to their evening meal. While they were thus 
engaged, Sheridan rode by; and many of the soldiers 
of the old Army of the Potomac, who had not cheered 
a general since McClellan had commanded them, rose 
simultaneously to their feet with cheers that came 
from their very hearts. 

The cavalry pursued the enemy for a while; but 
they had been afield since early morning, and the pur- 
suit was abandoned when darkness fell. 



i 9 o BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

Sheridan's losses in this battle were nearly five thou- 
sand, 4500 of whom were killed and wounded. He 
had captured five pieces of artillery and nine battle 
flags. 

This unheralded and unexpected victory was re- 
ceived all over the North with an outburst of en- 
thusiasm by the people and the press. Sheridan in- 
dited a dispatch which told, in soldier-like phrase, the 
result of his day's battle. " We have just sent them 
whirling through Winchester and we are after them 
to-morrow! " This phrase was soon repeated through 
every village and city of the North. Grant, rejoicing, 
fired a salute of one hundred shotted guns in honor of 
the great victory. President Lincoln wrote Sheridan 
a letter of personal congratulation, in which he said: 
" Have just heard of your great victory. God bless 
you all, officers and men. Strongly inclined to come 
up and see you. A. Lincoln." 

Sheridan did not forget his obligations to Miss 
Wright, the little Winchester school-teacher who had 
given him information that had decided him to strike 
Early. He visited her and thanked her, writing at 
her desk the dispatch which I have quoted. She was 
fearful that the Confederates would learn that she 
had given the information and would kill her. Sheri- 
dan replied, " Never fear ; the rebels will never come 
here again." Years afterwards, when it was known 
that she had given this information, Union men of 
Winchester took her hand and said, " Why, my lit- 
tle girl, there was not a man in the place who would 
have dared do such a thing." After the war, in 1867, 



SENDING THE ENEMY WHIRLING 191 

when Sheridan commanded the Department of the 
Gulf, he wrote to her sending her a gold watch and 
chain, saying : " I shall always remember this coura- 
geous and patriotic action of yours with gratitude, 
and beg you to accept the watch and chain, which I 
send you by General J. W. Forsyth, as a memento of 
September the 19th, 1864." 

The battle of the Opequan had been fought with 
mathematical precision, or, as has been said, " like 
clockwork." It was one of the first battles in which 
cavalry, infantry, and artillery were used systematic- 
ally together. Its effects on the public mind were to 
give renewed confidence to the defenders of the Union; 
it freed the Shenandoah Valley from Confederate 
control and the soil of Maryland and Pennsylvania 
from invasion; while the National Capital was never 
again to be insulted by an enemy. 

It was Sheridan's first independent command and 
demonstrated his ability as a great captain. 



CHAPTER XVIII 
the battle of fisher's hill (September 22, 1864) 

The morning after the battle of the Opequan, or, 
as the Confederates called it, the battle of Winchester, 
Sheridan set his troops in motion before daybreak to 
pursue Early's army. The enemy had continued their 
retreat all night, and during the day the Union troops 
met with no resistance until they were brought to a 
halt at Fisher's Hill, two miles south from Strasburg, 
where Early had established his army. 

The magnificent Shenandoah Valley at this point 
narrows from a breadth of twenty miles to five miles. 
The Shenandoah River here winds along the eastern 
base of the mountains, while a line of hills follows the 
windings of a little mountain stream known as Tum- 
bling Brook, and stretches across the country from 
the Shenandoah to the Little Mountains of the Blue 
Ridge. 

Late in the afternoon of September 20, Sheridan's 
infantry came into line in sight of these hills, and a 
few cannon shot announced that they were in front of 
the enemy. Early had established his army on these 
hills, with his right protected by the mountains and 
the right fork of the Shenandoah River, while his left 
was posted at the base of Little Mountain, in a posi- 
tion that at first glance looked so formidable as to 
be safe from attack. Let my readers bear this posi- 

192 



THE BATTLE OF FISHER'S HILL 193 

tion in mind, for it was the key-point which Sheridan 
attacked and where he gained a victory as complete 
as it had seemed impossible. 

Here the Confederates had placed the dismounted 
cavalry commanded by Lomax, who had thrown out 
guards or pickets on the hill as far up as they thought 
a goat could climb. His right wing, under Wharton, 
rested on the Shenandoah River and the mountains, 
while the space between right and left was filled by 
Gordon's, Ramseur's, and Pegram's divisions of in- 
fantry. Fitzhugh Lee's cavalry was in the Luray 
Valley to guard against an attack on Early's right. 
.This last position was fortunately chosen by Early 
for, as will be seen later, it was the means by which 
his army was saved from a still greater disaster than 
finally overtook it. 

To the soldiers from the Army of the Potomac, who 
had participated in many battles, the enemy's position 
looked impregnable. High and commanding hills rose 
on their front, crowned with earthworks and armed 
with artillery. The ravines, which were blocked by 
fallen timber, were further guarded from attacks by 
abattis and rifle-pits filled with veteran soldiers, brave 
and tried in battle. Fisher's Hill itself is a steep hill 
overhanging Tumbling Run. This position had been 
selected by Stonewall Jackson in the early days of the 
war as the strongest in the Valley, and was fortified 
and used by him as a rallying place when outnum- 
bered, or hard pressed by his enemy, or as a place 
from which to sally forth to attack them. 

No wonder that the old soldiers said, when viewing 



i 9 4 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

the enemy's position, " What is little Phil going to 
do about this ? " The Confederates regarded it as 
a haven of rest. To attack them in front the Union 
troops would have to cross Tumbling Brook and as- 
sault the apparently impregnable positions on the hills. 
Once before, readers will remember, Sheridan had 
been in front of this position, and then marched away. 
But at that time he was held in check by Grant's in- 
structions; now he was free to use his own discretion. 
One thing was evident, and that was that bravery 
alone could not give Sheridan victory. 

At break of day on the 21st Sheridan rode the en- 
tire length of the lines, studying the enemy's position, 
and after hours of careful consideration made such 
plans as gave the Union a brilliant victory without 
its usual cost of blood. He began marshaling his divi- 
sions in order, posting the Sixth Corps on the right 
and the Nineteenth Corps on the left, covering a front 
of three miles or more, — seizing, while under fire, such 
protection as he could for his army. The Confederates 
were, meanwhile, busy with axes and shovels strength- 
ening their position by digging more rifle-pits and 
falling trees. They were so well assured of the se- 
curity of their lines that they had dismounted their 
ammunition boxes from the caissons. 

The difficulties of the situation seemed to make our 
little general all the more determined to overcome 
them. The morale of his army, that indefinable 
quality made up, in part, of confidence, faith, and 
hope, was high. The successes so far gained had 
given to it a buoyancy of spirit and a confidence in it- 



THE BATTLE OF FISHER'S HILL 195 

self and its commander that added to its efficiency in 
a wonderful degree. The Confederates, on the other 
hand, had lost faith in Early's leadership and in 
themselves in a direct ratio as the Union troops had 
gained confidence in the generalship of their com- 
mander. Confidence, or the want of it, are things 
that must be reckoned with in an army, as much as 
guns and bayonets. 

While Sheridan was viewing the Confederate lines, 
he found them occupying an eminence called Flint Hill 
on the north, or what might be called the Union side, 
of Tumbling Brook. " We must have that hill," he 
said, " and put some guns there." It was a good 
point for observation, as well as a good place for his 
artillery. In any case, it would not do to leave the 
enemy in possession of so formidable a place on the 
north side of the Run. A part of Warner's brigade 
of the Sixth Corps was ordered to attack the position, 
but the enemy also understood its importance and de- 
fended it so stubbornly that the first attack failed. 
Then the whole of Warner's brigade, composed of 
stalwart Vermonters, among the bravest and most 
tenacious fighters of the army, went to the attack. 
They advanced to the assault at about sundown and 
drove the Confederates from the hill, but not without 
a loss amounting to more than the total of the casual- 
ties of the army on the morrow. 

That night the position so gallantly won was 
heavily intrenched on the front of the hill curving to 
the rear. When morning dawned the Confederates 
were, from this position, in plain view a half mile 



196 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

across Tumbling Brook. In a short time Sheridan, and 
some of his generals, among them Crook and Wright, 
rode up with their staffs and orderlies. Here a tele- 
scope was put in place on a tripod and the country was 
examined right and left. After Crook had taken a 
survey of the country, he held a hurried conversa- 
tion with Sheridan and rode off to execute the task 
which Sheridan had given him, — a task which the 
reader will soon see was the most important one of 
the day. 

After the other generals had left, Sheridan was still 
examining through his powerful glass the enemy's 
lines, and he was heard to say to his staff, " I'll get 
'em! I am going to get a twist on 'em! " and utter 
other confident expressions. But how was he going 
to do it? Neither by a desperate assault in front nor 
by gradual approach was it to be attempted; but the 
Union general was resolved on turning the left flank 
of the enemy, posted at the formidable hill that we 
have already viewed. But how was this to be accom- 
plished? It must be a secret move, and how was this 
to be made, when the Confederates, from a hill just 
in their rear which was a natural watch-tower, could 
see every part of the Union lines and the roads and 
turnpikes as far as Winchester, except the woods that 
here and there concealed or masked the ground. Gen- 
eral Crook, to whom the task had been intrusted, had 
concealed his men in these woods and then, when 
Sheridan gave the command, had moved silently and 
secretly to his work of turning the flank of the Con- 
federates on yonder distant and difficult mountain. 




THE ASSAULT ON FLINT HILL. 



THE BATTLE OF FISHER'S HILL 197 

While Crook is on his circuitous route to strike 
their flank, let us see what Sheridan is doing to en- 
gage the attention of the Confederates. He began 
by moving his men by degrees further to his right, 
placing Ricketts' division of the Sixth corps on the 
extreme right, hardly a half mile from the enemy's 
lines. This division swept over the ground in grand 
display, driving before it the enemy's skirmishers and 
halting at an oblique angle to the general line. This 
occupied the instant and concentrated attention of the 
Confederates, who began with renewed energy throw- 
ing up stronger defenses to resist from this quarter 
an expected flanking attack. They believed this to be 
Sheridan's extreme right flank and supposing that 
Ricketts' was the turning column, neglected to ob- 
serve the vital point to which Crook was secretly mov- 
ing. Still further to carry this conviction to the 
enemy, Sheridan had directed -Averill to picket his 
cavalry on a bare hill near by, as though they were 
so placed in order to take part in such a movement. 

Many of the Union soldiers had now become aware 
of what was contemplated by Sheridan. They could 
catch an occasional glimpse of flashing muskets in the 
woods that masked Crook's line of march as it pursued 
its long, circuitous journey. The march was made 
with admirable stillness and secrecy, and every pre- 
caution was taken to keep out of sight and hearing of 
the ordinarily watchful Confederates. During the 
night they marched by road or open fields, but by day 
they were kept in concealing woods. 

It was near sundown when Crook's men had 



198 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

climbed the steep hill and reached the right position. 
Then, like an avalanche, they swooped down on the 
unsuspecting Confederates and were upon them, over 
their works, in their rear, and on their flank before 
they realized what had happened. It was as surprising 
and sudden to them as lightning from a cloudless sky. 
On Crook swept, without pause and with resistless 
vigor, upon defenses that, but a moment before it had 
been believed impossible to reach. 

As Crook's men swept down like an eagle from 
some mountain height, taking the intrenched lines of 
the Confederates, Ricketts, driving the astounded 
enemy before him, joined his lines with those of Crook 
to complete the turning movement. Then the whole 
Union line, taking advantage of the paralyzing effects 
of the movement, swept across Tumbling Brook, up 
the steep hills, over rocks and fallen trees and en- 
tangling impediments that it would have seemed mad- 
ness to attempt but an hour before, driving the 
Confederates from their intrenchments in disorderly 
rout. Sheridan and his staff were all along the line 
urging on the pursuit, shouting, "Go on ! Go on ! 
Forward men! If you can't run, yell at the top of 
your voices ! " And on they went, with a headlong 
rush impossible to describe, but which readers can 
imagine if they recognize the exaltation of men under 
the excitement of a great success, when almost im- 
possible obstacles are overcome. 

" My whole force," said General Early in his re- 
port to Lee, " retired in considerable confusion." If 
he had said " consternation " it would have described 



THE BATTLE OF FISHER'S HILL 199 

their flight more accurately. Nor were these brave 
Confederates greatly to blame; for soldiers, suddenly 
attacked on the flank without time to make new dispo- 
sitions, can make little resistance; they are driven into 
masses and cannot fire without shooting each other. 
Sheridan had counted on the effect that the sudden 
appearance of Crook on their flank would have on 
troops that had been recently defeated, as the Confed- 
erates were a few days before at Opequan. The at- 
tack was a wedge which, when driven home, shattered 
and scattered the enemy in consternation and defeat. 
Before darkness came all the positions held by the 
Confederates but an hour before were captured, and 
with them sixty cannon, a thousand prisoners, and 
many battle flags. 

The Confederates fled under cover of darkness four 
miles beyond Woodstock, Sheridan pursuing all night 
with his cavalry. Torbett, who had been left, as we 
have before said, in Luray Valley for the purpose of 
cutting off the enemy's retreat, not knowing that the 
Confederates had been defeated at Fisher's Hill, did 
not act with spirit or promptness. Finding the enemy 
in a strong defensive position at Mil ford, he did not 
succeed in driving them from their intrenchments, and 
so that part of Sheridan's plan failed. 

It was not until the afternoon of the 23d that Tor- 
bett learned of Sheridan's victory at Fisher's Hill and 
got instructions to march up the Luray Valley. Had 
he moved on the 226. through Massanutton Gap, he 
would have been in the rear of the enemy when they 
were retreating after their defeat. But Early had 



200 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

guarded against this by placing Wickham's force in 
such a strong defensive position that Torbett did not 
think it prudent to attack. If he had executed his 
part of the plan that Sheridan had made, the whole 
Confederate army would have been captured or de- 
stroyed. 

Sheridan's loss in this battle, by which he captured 
the strongest position in the Valley, was scarcely four 
hundred men. 

During the night following the battle Sheridan 
found time to write Grant : " I have the honor to an- 
nounce that I have achieved a signal victory over the 
army of General Early at Fisher's Hill to-day. I 
found the rebel army posted with his right resting on 
the north fork of the Shenandoah and extending 
along the Strasburg Valley west towards the North 
Mountain, occupying a position which appeared almost 
impregnable. After a good deal of maneuvering dur- 
ing the day, General Crook's command was trans- 
ferred to the extreme right of the line on North Moun- 
tain, and then furiously attacked the left of the 
enemy's line, carrying everything before him. While 
Crook was driving the enemy, .... sweeping 
down behind their breastworks, the Sixth and Nine- 
teenth corps attacked the rebel works in front, and 
the whole army appeared to be broken up ... . 
. . Only darkness has saved the whole of Early's 
army from total destruction." 

The wonderful day at Fisher's Hill is one of the 
most brilliant victories of Sheridan. To the thinking 
old soldiers who participated in this campaign, its 



THE BATTLE OF FISHER'S HILL 201 

careful, well-considered plan showed more military 
genius than any of his other battles in the Valley. 
For several days they had faced the Confederate in- 
trenchments, wondering if it were possible to dislodge 
the enemy from so formidable a position; and to see 
it done without great loss commanded their admira- 
tion. They have always applauded this victory, for 
they could understand its difficulties. The plan was 
matured in a short time and was as original as it was 
effective. 

To show that I do not exaggerate this victory, I will 
quote from General Wright's report : " The annals 
of the war present, perhaps, no more glorious victory 
than this. The enemy's lines, chosen in an almost 
impregnable position and fortified with much care, 
have been most gallantly carried by assault, capturing 
most of his artillery, a large number of prisoners, and 
sending his army on the run in the most disorderly 
manner, — and all this from the impetuosity of the at- 
tack, with an absurdly small loss on our part." 
The battle was in keeping with Sheridan's general 
principles in fighting; that is, to achieve as great re- 
sults as possible with as little loss of life. 

This battle is but little dwelt upon by historians be- 
cause there were so few losses; but this we consider 
its greatest glory. The overwhelming victory of 
Fisher's Hill was the result of great generalship rather 
than of stubborn fighting at the expense of human life. 
It proved that Sheridan was not only an impetuous 
fighter, and the impersonation of warlike energy, but 
that he was also versed in tactics and strategy, and 



202 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

with a fiery zeal controlled by unusual discretion. The 
enemy, hitherto deemed almost invincible in their tac- 
tics in the Valley, were broken almost as much in spirit 
as in their ranks; while the reverse was true of the 
Union army, which had been converted to the belief 
that General Sheridan was an invincible commander 
of men, who was to be followed and obeyed implicitly. 



CHAPTER XIX 

LAYING WASTE THE VALLEY 

On the morning of September 23, after a night's 
pursuit urged on with fiery zeal by Sheridan, the ad- 
vance of the Union army was halted at Woodstock, 
twelve miles from Strasburg. A supply train, reach- 
ing there almost as soon as the infantry, was wel- 
comed by the soldiers as one more proof of Sheri- 
dan's thoughtful care for their comfort. While rest- 
ing his troops here he learned with surprise that 
Averill, commanding one of his cavalry divisions, had 
taken no part in following up the enemy. When at 
about noon that general came up, the chief sent him 
forward to assist Deven, who with great spirit had 
with his cavalry attacked the enemy at Mount Jackson 
and driven him from his position. 

As Averill, even under these advantageous condi- 
tions, failed to accomplish anything and was about to 
retire from the Confederate front, Sheridan was in- 
dignant and sent him this characteristic message : " I 
do not want you to let the enemy bluff you or your 
command, and I want you distinctly to understand this 
note. I do not advise rashness, but I do desire resolu- 
tion and actual fighting." Even this drastic reproof 
had no effect; and when, a short time afterwards, 

203 



204 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

Sheridan learned that Averill had actually withdrawn 
his men from the front and gone into camp, he re- 
lieved him from his command, appointing Colonel W. 
H. Powell in his place. This failure of Averill's to 
attack Early gave the latter valuable time in which to 
collect his scattered forces. 

Sheridan could not tolerate officers who were dila- 
tory, and whose failures to move with spirit endan- 
gered success. He understood, better than most gen- 
erals, the value of time in campaigning; he wanted 
prompt action on the part of his generals and, so far 
as it was in his power, would have it. It was this dis- 
position, as we shall see in coming pages, which led 
him to relieve General Warren from his command in 
the final campaign that ended at Appomattox. A sol- 
dier must act instantly and often must give vehement 
impulse to action, if he would succeed, and to this 
marked characteristic of Sheridan's must be attrib- 
uted not a little of his success. 

Sheridan was now not simply trying to defeat, but to 
capture, Early's army. He had for this purpose or- 
dered Torbett to advance in such a way as to bring 
him in the rear of Early. A few miles beyond Mount 
Jackson, Early had deployed his army in a strong po- 
sition, and a little way beyond his lines could be seen 
the road, winding down the mountain, by which Tor- 
bett had been ordered to come from the Luray Valley 
to take the Confederates in the rear. But after the 
enemy had passed Newmarket, all hopes that Torbett 
would get in their rear was abandoned. 

Early left the Valley pike and took the road to 



LAYING WASTE THE VALLEY 205 

Keezletown, — a road that not only facilitated his 
junction with reinforcements expected from Lee, but 
which, by a rugged ridge that rose on one side of the 
road, gave his flanks protection. At Brown's Gap he 
halted to await the arrival of Kershaw's infantry and 
Cuttshaw's artillery, which had been ordered to rejoin 
him. He was joined the next morning by his cavalry 
from the Luray Valley, also Lomax's from Harrison- 
burg. His whole army then fell back, and by the 
morning of the 25th wholly disappeared from the 
Union front. 

During the day several prisoners were captured, 
among whom Sheridan recognized a former comrade 
who had served with him as a lieutenant in Washing- 
ton Territory. The poor fellow was hungry, worn, 
and discouraged. For the sake of the comradeship of 
other days the general took him to his headquarters, 
fed him well, and made him comfortable until a batch 
of prisoners was sent to the rear, when he was sent 
with them. 

When the Sixth and Nineteenth corps reached Har- 
risonburg, they encamped; while the cavalry, with the 
exception of Merritt, who was sent to Port Republic, 
went forward to Waynesboro by way of Stanton to 
destroy the railroad bridge. They had succeeded in 
its partial destruction when they were attacked by 
Wickham's cavalry and a Confederate division of in- 
fantry. This caused them to fall back to Spring Hill, 
destroying supplies and gathering in cattle as they 
marched. About this time Merritt's cavalry ran into 
Kershaw's division, that was on its way to join Early, 



206 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

and being sharply attacked, retreated to Cross 
Keys. 

It was near Harrisonburg that Sheridan's engineer 
officer, Lieutenant Meigs, was murdered while out 
with two assistants making a survey. Riding along 
the road, Meigs overtook two men dressed in the uni- 
form of Federal soldiers. Not suspecting that they 
were otherwise than what their dress indicated, for 
they were within a mile of Sheridan's headquarters, 
he rode along with them until they suddenly turned 
upon him and killed him without giving him a chance 
to surrender, or without resistance of any kind. One 
of his assistants made his escape and reported the 
facts to Sheridan. Ever since the Union army had 
come into the Valley every train or isolated guard had 
been bushwhacked by the people, and Sheridan now 
determined to teach them a lesson that would end 
the practise. The fact that this murder was com- 
mitted within his lines was evidence that the murder- 
ers had their homes there, or that they had been har- 
bored by the people, and so he ordered all the houses 
within a circuit of five miles to be burned. After a 
few houses near the place of the murder had been 
burned, however, he countermanded the order. Such 
orders may seem cruel ; but a general must protect his 
soldiers, and to Sheridan it was evident these men 
were Confederates who had been on a secret visit to 
their homes or to friends in that neighborhood and it 
was these facts that prompted him to take the stern 
measures recorded. 

While at Harrisonburg, Sheridan determined it 



LAYING WASTE THE VALLEY 207 

would not be good policy to pursue Early beyond the 
Blue Ridge into Eastern Virginia, although Grant ad- 
vised this should be done. Sheridan with his usual pru- 
dence, argued that such a move would include the re- 
building the Orange and Alexandria Railroad; that 
many men must be left to guard this road from raids 
and to keep it in operation; that another large force 
must be left in the Valley to guard the Baltimore and 
Ohio Road; and that so many men left for special 
duty would so weaken his army as to defeat their 
main object. For these reasons he thought the project 
of following Early beyond the Blue Ridge not a wise 
one, and said so emphatically. 

Sheridan never quarreled with his superiors, — ex- 
cept in the instance we have given of his misunder- 
standing with Meade, — but he always gave his opin- 
ions boldly and then let the decision rest with his com- 
mander. He wrote to Grant that he thought the cam- 
paign should end by destroying all provisions that 
would invite a return of the Confederate army, and 
then that he should unite his forces with the main 
army before Petersburg. 

Grant, while seeing the force of Sheridan's views, 
was affected by considerations outside of purely mili- 
tary ones. A pressure of public sentiment at the North 
was one of these, as well as the wishes of those in con- 
trol at Washington. But finally, as Sheridan was on 
the spot, and because Grant had confidence in the 
soundness of the general's judgment, he left him to 
decide what it was best to do. 

On the 6th of October Sheridan began his return 



208 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN, 

march down the Valley with his cavalry, following 
his infantry, stretched from the Blue Ridge to North 
Mountain, burning mills, crops, and barns, but sparing 
dwellings. Clouds of smoke, filling the air from 
mountain to mountain, told that the whole country 
was being made a waste and untenable for the Con- 
federate army, which had hitherto drawn so much of 
its subsistence from this fertile region. 

Early had, meanwhile, been reinforced by Lee, so 
that his army was stronger than at any time since the 
battle at Winchester. He had been told by the Con- 
federate commander-in-chief that he must if possible, 
defeat Sheridan, and his desire to retrieve his own repu- 
tation made him alert. So, when he saw that Sheridan 
was marching down the Valley, he followed in pursuit. 
Remember that " down the valley " was northward. 

No enemy was seen by the Union army, but the ques- 
tion of supplies had become quite serious. There was 
not transportation enough in the Department to con- 
vey full supplies to them at so great a distance from 
their base, and guerillas were attacking every train 
that passed to them through the Valley. 

A new Southern cavalry leader, General Rosser, 
who had had some successes elsewhere, had come 
from Richmond, ambitious to distinguish himself. He 
and his followers had been decorated with laurels at 
Richmond and were styled the "Laureled Brigade." 
Great things were expected of them, and they pro- 
claimed Rosser as the " Saviour of the Valley." The 
rear of Sheridan's army was soon attacked and har- 
assed by them, and Sheridan, somewhat annoyed by 



LAYING WASTE THE VALLEY 209 

their audacity, called a halt of his army to finish off 
this new Confederate hero. He said to General Tor- 
bett, " I want you to go in and whip this blusterer, or 
get whipped; and I am going to stay and see you do 
it." 

A spirited fight took place. The country being open 
and favorable to cavalry evolutions, the combatants 
fought on horseback and with the saber. At first the 
" Laureled Brigade " met their foe with great stub- 
bornness and courage ; but finally they gave way, right 
and left, and fled with ridiculous haste, so that even 
the Southerners were afterwards known to refer to 
that battle (Tom's Creek) as the " Woodstock Races," 
and to joke about Rosser s somewhat rapid and in- 
glorious flight. Of this battle Torbett reported, " The 
cavalry covered themselves with glory, and added to 
their long list of victories the most brilliant one of 
them all, and the most decisive the country ever saw." 
Three hundred and thirty prisoners and eleven cavalry 
guns were captured and about " everything the rebels 
had on wheels," including ambulances, caissons, and 
the headquarters' wagons of all the generals. 

In his letter to Grant, reporting this battle, Sheridan 
said : " I directed Torbett to attack at daylight this 
morning and finish this ' Saviour of the Valley.' The 
enemy . . . broke and ran; they were followed by 
our men on the jump twenty-six miles through Mount 
Jackson and across the North Fork of the Shenan- 
doah. I deemed it best to make this delay of one day 
and settle this new cavalry leader." Some of the 
horse artillery that was captured was fresh from the 



210 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

foundry at Richmond, and some wag had labeled it, 
" To General Sheridan, care of General Early." 

The moral effect of the battle of Tom's Creek was 
very great; it broke the spirit of the Confederate cav- 
alry in the Valley, and influenced the fighting of the 
cavalry in Lee's army in the final campaign in a marked 
degree. The battle also had its effects on the action 
of the Union cavalry at Cedar Creek, where it showed 
great staunchness and spirit. 

On the ioth Sheridan continued his march until he 
reached the north side of Cedar Creek, where he went 
into camp. He soon started to send back the Sixth 
Corps to Grant, but believing that Early intended to 
attack him, he recalled it to Cedar Creek. 

On the 13th of October Sheridan received the fol- 
lowing dispatch from Secretary of War Stanton: " If 
you can come here, a consultation on several points is 
extremely desirable. I propose to visit General Grant, 
and would like to see you first." Sheridan was getting 
ready to attack Early, as the enemy had again ap- 
peared in his front in full strength and had attacked a 
force which he had sent out towards Strasburg. He 
thought it best, however, to defer making an attack 
until he had been to Washington for the conference 
requested by the Secretary of War and had reached 
an understanding as to his future operations. 

When on his way to Washington, Sheridan received 
a message from General Wright, who had been left in 
command of the army, enclosing the following dis- 
patch which had been read from the Confederate sig- 
nals at Three Top Mountain : " To General Early : 



LAYING WASTE THE VALLEY 211 

Be ready to move as soon as my forces join you. 
Longstreet, Lieutenant-General." Sheridan believed 
this to be a false signal, but with his usual prudence he 
ordered Wright to draw in the cavalry and to be ready 
for an attack. What happened during his absence will 
appear in the coming chapter. 



CHAPTER XX 

THE BATTLE OF CEDAR CREEK AND SHERIDAN'S RIDE 

Perhaps the most wonderful battle of the Civil 
War, if not in all history, was the battle of Cedar 
Creek. It is of this battle that I am about to write, 
showing how the Union army met with a terrible de- 
feat in the morning, which in the afternoon, by the ar- 
rival of General Sheridan, was turned to a glorious 
victory. 

When Sheridan left on his trip to Washington, his 
army was encamped on the left bank of Cedar Creek 
near where it joins the Shenandoah River. The water 
at that time was so low that both river and creek could 
be crossed by wading. The Confederate army occu- 
pied its old position at Fisher's Hill. From his natural 
watch tower at Three Top, Early could view Sheri- 
dan's army as though spread out on a map before 
him, and could study all its alignments. His army 
had been recruited and reinforced from Richmond by 
more than five thousand men. When sending him 
these men Lee had said, " The enemy must be de- 
feated, and I depend upon you to do it." 

Meanwhile the provisions for Early's army were 
running low, and as he could not, as in former times, 
feed his army from the Shenandoah Valley, he had 
either to fight or to retreat up the Valley again. TT- 

212 



CEDAR CREEK AND SHERIDAN'S RIDE 213 

was an able and brave soldier and naturally chose the 
former course. 

From his watch tower he discovered that Sheridan's 
left flank was but lightly picketed. The difficulties, 
however, of getting around that flank were very great. 
It was protected by the Shenandoah River, and at this 
point the mountain rises precipitously and the river 
hugs closely around it, with only a narrow, rugged 
pathway between the cliff and the river. The river 
had to be crossed twice in order to reach his enemy's 
flank. Yet notwithstanding these difficulties he 
planned to accomplish the feat. 

Leaving behind them their swords and canteens and 
every other thing that could make a clinking sound to 
betray their march, at half -past three in the morning 
the Confederates came in sight of the Union camp 
fires. By moonlight, while the Union army slum- 
bered, they crept stealthily along the base of Mas- 
sanutton Mountain to gain Sheridan's rear. They 
had left behind them forty pieces of artillery, to be 
rushed down the pike at a given signal. Everything 
seemed to favor their success. As though to shield the 
Confederates that she had so far lighted on their 
way, the moon veiled herself behind a misty cloud as 
they neared the Union flank and gained the position 
from which to attack. 

The surprise was complete. As the Confederates 
under Gordon swept away the Union pickets, with a 
crackle of rifle shots, the Union soldiers rushed from 
their tents to see what was the matter just as the 
enemy came through the mist like an army of ghosts 



214 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

and with wild, exulting yells drove everything before 
them. Then, as soon as the success of this flank at- 
tack was assured, Early with the rest of his army 
crossed Cedar Creek and atacked the Union army on 
the right, while the artillery swept down and joined in 
the uproar of musketry and drove the Union lines in 
disorder. Attacked on flank and front and rear, the 
soldiers of Sheridan's army could not fight, for they 
were driven into confused masses upon each other. 
They were too old in the business of soldiering not to 
know that the best thing for them to do was to get 
away. Except here and there, they got no chance to 
rally and resist the impetuous attack. They fled, for 
it was madness to resist, or attempt to resist, until the 
ranks could be re-formed. 

General Wright, roused by the uproar, attempted to 
form a line to hold them back, only to see it swept 
away again, as Gordon with his three Confederate 
brigades came thundering like phantom soldiers from 
out the cloudlike mists on flank and rear. Crook's 
corps first broke and drifted away in flight. This left 
the Nineteenth Corps uncovered, and they, though still 
resisting, soon followed. The heroic Sixth Corps, 
farther in the rear, found time to fall back with some 
semblance of order, Getty's staunch Vermonters stem- 
ming the torrent and keeping up their formations and 
partially keeping the Confederates in check in their 
front. 

Three hours passed; the Union army had been 
driven back over four miles. General Ricketts had 
thrown forward the Sixth Corps at right angles to its 



CEDAR CREEK AND SHERIDAN'S RIDE 215 

former position to cover the retreat. The enemy, 
meanwhile, was endeavoring to cut off the Union 
army from its line of retreat in order to destroy it in 
detail. 

The mists had now drifted away, so that the Union 
generals could view the field and judge what the enemy 
were doing and what they themselves could do. The 
sight was not reassuring; the army was being steadily 
driven back. Still, there were some successful at- 
tempts to stem the tide of disaster. Take courage, 
brave men, for Sheridan — a host in himself — is com- 
ing up from Winchester ! 

After his interview with the Secretary of War on 
the afternoon of October 18, Sheridan returned from 
Washington on a special train. He arrived at Win- 
chester in the afternoon, and thinking that nothing 
special called him to the front that night, looked over 
the ground around the town with his engineer officer, 
with a view to putting it in a condition of defense, so 
that it could be held by a small number of men. He 
then went to bed for the night. 

Early in the morning, before he was up, the officer 
of the pickets around Winchester came to his room 
to inform him that there was artillery firing in the 
direction of Cedar Creek. 

" Is it a continuous fire? " inquired Sheridan. 

" No, it is not a sustained fire," replied the officer. 

" That's all right, then," said Sheridan. " It's prob- 
ably Granger making a reconnaissance." He tried to 
get another nap, but he could not sleep. 

Then the officer came again, saying that the firing 



216 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

at the front could be heard more distinctly, but that 
it was not continuous. 

" It's all right," said Sheridan again. " It is Gran- 
ger banging away to find out what the rebs are up to." 
Feeling uneasy, he went down to an early breakfast, 
at the same time ordering his black horse, Rienzi, to 
be groomed and saddled ready to mount. 

It was half-past nine o'clock as he rode through 
Winchester on his way to his army. As he passed 
through the town he noticed that the rebel women of 
the place made insulting gestures. He thought little 
of this, for he knew that they did not love him. He 
halted for a moment, with his ear down to his saddle. 
The sound was now unmistakable ; it was nearing him, 
and there was a continuous roar of cannon. He then 
knew that the women of Winchester had in some in- 
definable way got intelligence which to them was 
" good news," which he had not received. Did that 
mean defeat and disaster to his army? 

He rode now at a tremendous pace until he reached 
the top of a hill just beyond Abraham's Creek, when 
there burst upon his vision a sight that made even his 
brave heart almost stand still. It was the unmistakable 
signs of a beaten and retreating army. There were 
wounded men, stragglers, baggage wagons, ambu- 
lances, crowding the road in confusion, all hastening 
towards Winchester. 

He considered for a moment what it was best to 
do. He decided with a flash of inspiration. It was 
to ride to the front, re-form his army, and fight it out, 
sharing the fate of his men, who had fought so 



CEDAR CREEK AND SHERIDAN'S RIDE 217 

gallantly under his command. With this resolution, 
first ordering the commander of the infantry at Win- 
chester to stretch a guard across the road to stop the 
fugitives, he urged forward his horse at the top of 
his speed, halting a moment among the crowd of 
stragglers and wounded to inquire, " What has hap- 
pened, men ? " " The army," they replied, " is all 
smashed to pieces ! " 

" Face the other way! " said Sheridan; " we'll get a 
a twist on them yet ! " 

At the sound of his voice their apathetic faces lit 
up; they did face the other way, with hurrahs and 
exclamations of delight. Then, ordering the baggage 
wagons to be parked by the roadside, he and his escort 
rode on at a swinging pace. The crowd of stragglers, 
wounded men, and baggage wagons grew thicker and 
thicker, so that he was obliged to take to the fields. 
To every group he swung his cap and called out, 
" Face the other way, men ; we are going to get a 
twist on the rebs ! We are going back to our camps ! " 

The men began to cheer. Their faces lighted up 
with confidence. The current that had been drifting 
to the rear was seen moving to the front. Hope and 
enthusiasm had taken the place of despondency and 
listlessness ; or, as Sheridan afterwards phrased it, 
" Men who, on reflection, found that they had not 
done themselves justice, came back with cheers." 

On reaching still nearer the front, among the drift- 
ing masses of his army, he was greeted with a tempest 
of cheers, and word ran through the masses, " Sher- 
idan is here." His eyes gleaming with eager con- 



218 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

fidence, he called out to them as he swung his hat : 
" Get into line, men ! We are going back to our 
camps ! Face the other way, men ! " Enthusiasm in 
place of discouragement began to shine in the men's 
faces as they shouldered their muskets and turned 
back, shouting, " Hurrah for little Phil ! Hurrah ! 
Hurrah ! Hurrah ! " and marched back to the field from 
which they had fled. 

On Sheridan rode with terrible speed, his black 
horse flecked with foam, with nostrils distended, seem- 
ing to understand the necessity for its very best 
efforts. 

The first officer he met was General Wright. " My 
God, Sheridan," he exclaimed : " Oh ! I am glad you 
have come!" After a few words with Wright the 
general sped on to the farthest front, where, galloping 
around a line of ambulances, he drew rein on a slight 
hill in full view of the battle-field. It was a terrible 
sight for the commander of an army. On the road 
and in the fields was a wreck of material : artillery, 
caissons, ammunition trains, broken wagons, stretcher 
bearers, cavalrymen with led horses, — in fact, all the 
signs of a badly defeated army. It took a clear head 
and a stout heart to plan and think under such dispirit- 
ing conditions. 

The general rode to a division of infantry formed 
on a hillside. They were Getty's Vermonters, whose 
staunchness had been tested in many battles. The flags 
were flying on their front, and near them was a battery 
engaged in a savage duel with a battery of the enemy's. 
Further to the right, across a little valley, was a larger 



CEDAR CREEK AND SHERIDAN'S RIDE 219 

force upon a hillside facing the enemy. There was 
a pause just then on the part of the Confederates, for 
an army becomes disorganized in pursuit as well as in 
defeat, and they were straightening out their lines, to 
finish the Yankee army with a final knockout blow. 
It took time to make their formations for the finishing 
attack which they believed themselves about to deliver. 

Sheridan turned to a member of his staff who was 
with him and, pointing, said, " Go there to that 
skirmish line and report the condition to me as soon as 
possible." He then rode over to Getty's men, and 
was greeted with a tumult of cheers. From all along 
the line numerous flags were waved that did not belong 
to Getty's division. The brave color bearers of other 
regiments had stopped here when the men had de- 
serted them. He was greeted by them with joyous 
and repeated cheers and waving of the flags. 

The member of his staff who had been sent to the 
skirmish line came up and reported, " Colonel Lowell 
says he can hold the line where he is forty minutes, 
and will try to hold it longer if need be." " Go to the 
right," said Sheridan, " and find the other two divi- 
sions of the Sixth Corps and have them come in on 
the right of Getty. See General Emory, and have him 
bring up what is left of the Nineteenth Corps." 
Then, hesitating, he sprang to his saddle, saying, " I 
will go with you." 

General Emory was found about a mile away with 
his force on a hillside, partly protected by a ledge, his 
troops thinned but not disorganized. Forsyth came 
to Sheridan and reported, " General Emory thinks 



220 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

that he is in a good position to attack the enemy s flank, 
should they advance on the Sixth Corps, and that you 
may wish to have them remain where they are." 

" Go back and say to General Emory, he must 
bring up his men at once; don't lose a moment! " 

The line was formed under Sheridan's direction, 
and a group of officers gathered around him, among 
them two who were afterwards Presidents of the 
United States, — Lieutenant William McKinley and 
General Rutherford B. Hayes. It was suggested that 
Sheridan should ride down the line to let all the men 
know that he had returned to his army. At first he 
said no; but, being urged, he rode in front of the battle 
line from one end to the other. One glance at his 
cofident, inspiring face and at the black horse that 
bore him was enough; the soldiers knew that their 
commander whom they loved and trusted was with 
them. Cheers, loud and joyful, ran down the line 
as at a tremendous pace he rode along the ranks to 
reassure his men. " We are going back to our camp, 
men! Never fear; we are going to whip them out of 
their boots ! " he repeated. 

At that time it was twelve o'clock or later. The 
men had been fighting or marching since early morn- 
ing, with little or nothing to eat. As soon as the 
skirmishers were formed they were commanded to rest 
in place. The rest was short. The Nineteenth Corps 
was formed in the edge of a wood. The rustling 
in the woods soon gave warning that the enemy was 
advancing to attack. Then the sharp snap, snap, crack, 
crack, of musketry and the long gray line, with 




lflV6 AUWAV3 




oil •'"^•fc 




CEDAR CREEK AND SHERIDAN'S RIDE 221 

a rushing sound, swept through the wood with con- 
fident step. With a long-drawn-out, piercing yell they 
delivered a volley and rushed forward. The blue 
line crackled and a flame of fire came from the whole 
line of rifles. The fire of the Confederates slackened, 
then grew fainter, until it died away. They had 
fallen back. A tumult of cheers burst from the throats 
of the Union soldiers when they knew that they had 
repulsed this first attempt of the enemy on their newly 
formed line. 

While re-forming his lines Sheridan had received 
a report that Confederate troops were coming up in 
his rear from the Front Royal pike, and was waiting 
to find whether or not the report was true. Mean- 
while, every moment, the line was being strengthened. 
One by one tired men came up from the rear and 
dropped down into line by the side of their comrades. 
In addition to these, two thousand of different regi- 
ments had been got together and placed under the 
command of General Crook. 

It was three o'clock in the afternoon when the 
orders came to move forward. The Sixth was ordered 
to attack at once, and the Nineteenth Corps was to 
keep well closed up on the Sixth. All of Crook's 
forces and Merritt's cavalry were on the left of the 
pike, while Custer covered the right flank with his 
cavalry. The right division of the Nineteenth Corps 
was ordered to outflank the enemy and wheel towards 
the pike. 

The tidings that Sheridan was going to " get a twist 
on the rebs " ran through the line like electricity. The 



222 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

despondency of the morning had given place to con- 
fidence; hope and enthusiasm shone in every face. 
The men pulled down the visors of their caps as though 
about to breast a storm and were ready for their 
best. 

Then came the orders : " Attention ! Shoulder 
arms! Guide left." And then, with long-drawn-out 
emphasis, came the command, " Forward — left — left,'' 
and the whole line swept forward like a mighty wave. 
Then, as they encountered the enemy, a crackling fire 
ran along the line. "Forward. Forward, men! 
Forward! " came the commands, all along the ranks. 
As they met a staggering fire of musketry from the 
enemy that left a trail of dead and wounded behind 
them, there was heard the command, "Steady, men! 
Steady!" Then, "Fire!" A volley at short range 
burst from the line of blue ! " Keep it up, men ! 
Give it to them ! Don't let up on them ! " and similar 
inspiriting commands were heard all along the Union 
lines. There was no need for encouraging commands, 
for the men were terribly in earnest; they wanted re- 
venge for the morning's defeat. The Confederate 
fire slackened, and then died away. Cheers loud and 
triumphant ran down the line; for they had repulsed 
the enemy that but a few hours before was in the full 
tide of victory. 

Sheridan's army was now well together in the order 
named : Wright on the left, Emory on the right, Custer 
and Merritt on the right and left flanks. Sheridan 
was not satisfied simply to repulse the enemy; he in- 
tended to overwhelm him. He had promised his men 



CEDAR CREEK AND SHERIDAN'S RIDE 223 

that they were going back to their camps, and he 
intended to keep his promise. Early was prepared for 
vigorous resistance. He was behind breastworks 
thrown up in his front, and stubbornly resisted the 
attack, especially in front of the Nineteenth Corps. 

The latter's flank, which was overlapping the Union 
right, was charged at a weak spot by a brigade of 
cavalry. It was broken and melted away amid a tu- 
mult of musketry fire. Wright's corps sprang for- 
ward, driving the Confederates before them; Merritt's 
cavalry charged, driving them through Middletown in 
confusion. The refluent wave of battle was resistless. 
The Confederate line of battle went to pieces in a con- 
fused and disorderly rout, with the triumphant soldiers 
of Sheridan's army pursuing. 

Sheridan's infantry halted at their old camp, whence 
they had been so unexpectedly driven in the morn- 
ing; while the cavalry pursued to Hupp's Hill, where 
a broken bridge blocked the road. Here they gathered 
a great harvest of guns, wagons, and material of all 
kinds. All the cannon that had been abandoned in the 
morning were recaptured, besides twenty-two other 
guns and one thousand five hundred prisoners, which 
fully made up for those lost in the morning's surprise. 

With this defeat, all operations in the Shenandoah 
Valley ended forever. Early's defeat was so com- 
plete that his army was scattered, never again to 
achieve anything worthy of mention. Sheridan's face 
expressed great satisfaction when he learned of the 
complete rout of the Confederates and the great cap- 
ture of material. He had cause for pride. 



224 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

The victory achieved over Early, whose veteran 
soldiers were as fine as the Confederacy produced, was 
received throughout the country with acclamations of 
joy. It gave Sheridan the confidence of the people 
and government, which he retained to the end of the 
war, and the enthusiastic devotion of his troops. His 
name was a synonym of victory. Grant said of Cedar 
Creek, " It stamped Sheridan, what I have always 
thought him, one of the ablest of generals." Congress 
passed resolutions commendatory and eulogistic. The 
different Northern States followed its example. The 
President sent a dispatch saying, " With great pleasure 
I tender to you and your brave army the thanks of the 
nation, and my own personal admiration and gratitude, 
for the month's operations in the Shenandoah Valley ; 
and especially for the splendid work of October 19, 
1864." 

Sheridan was appointed a major-general in the 
regular army on the 8th of November, and his com- 
mission for that rank was accompanied by a letter from 
Abraham Lincoln, expressing his appreciation " of the 
personal gallantry, military skill, and just confidence 
in the courage and patriotism of your troops, displayed 
by you on the 19th day of October, at Cedar Run, 
whereby, under the blessings of Providence, your 
routed army was reorganized, a great national disaster 
averted, and a brilliant victory achieved over the 
rebels for the third time, in pitched battle, within 
thirty days." 




f/L£A&£* 



6££yPl^' 



As a Major-general. Appointed November S, 1S64. 



CHAPTER XXI 

SHERIDAN REJOINS GRANT (March, 1 865) 

After the battle of Cedar Creek, Sheridan did not 
think it prudent to send any part of his force to 
Grant's army. Early's army might, in such a case, be 
temporarily reinforced by Lee, and in any case his 
army was as strong in numbers as after the battle 
of Fisher's Hill. Sheridan's successes gave his views 
weighty consideration, both with Grant and with those 
in authority at Washington. 

After his defeat at Cedar Creek, Early had fallen 
back to New Market, where he remained three weeks, 
receiving additions to his army, of conscripts, con- 
valescents, and detail men, as well as Crosby's cavalry. 
In November, 1864, Sheridan withdrew his army to 
Kernstown in order to gain a better and shorter line 
for receiving supplies, and also better quarters for 
his men. Early, thinking this indicated that Sher- 
idan had sent a part of his army to Grant, hurriedly 
formed his whole army to attack in case this conjecture 
proved true. He was not left long in doubt. Merritt's 
cavalry went out and attacked Rosser and the other 
divisions of Early's cavalry, drove it across the 
Shenandoah River and up the Luray Valley, capturing 
two of their cannon, twenty officers, two hundred and 
twenty-five men, and two battle flags. This was 
enough to satisfy Early that it was not prudent to 

225 



226 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

remain longer in the vicinity of Sheridan ; and he went 
back without delay to New Market again. Soon after 
this he sent Kershaw's division back to Lee and 
Crosby's brigade to soutwest Virginia. 

Grant, hearing that the whole of Early's army had 
been transferred to Lee's lines, wrote to Sheridan, "If 
you are satisfied this is a fact, send the Sixth Corps 
to me without delay;" and then, with his usual 
persistency, he went back to his old plan, saying: " If 
your cavalry can cut the Virginia Central road, now is 
the time to do it." 

Sheridan at once made a reconnaissance with cav- 
alry and reported that Early had about ten thousand 
infantry and a division of cavalry at least, that 
Kershaw's infantry was the only force that had left 
the Valley, and that — unless there was some great 
necessity it was better to wait until the season was a 
little further advanced. 

At the beginning of November, Lee ordered Early 
to send all of his Second Corps to Petersburg. Almost 
at the same time Grant ordered Sheridan to send him 
the Sixth Corps. Early had, meanwhile, broken up 
his camp at New Market and removed with his re- 
maining troops into winter quarters at Stanton, but 
leaving a signal station at Three Top Mountain to in- 
form him of Sheridan's movements. 

At the close of the year Sheridan had only the 
Nineteenth Corps and his cavalry with him, and early 
in 1865 one of the divisions of his infantry was sent 
South, leaving him but one. December 19, Torbett, 
with eight thousand cavalry, was sent to strike the 



SHERIDAN REJOINS GRANT 227 

Virginia Central Railroad. After blowing up a bridge 
and capturing to of the enemy's guns and several 
gunners, he returned, driving before him a herd of 
two hundred cattle. On the 20th Custer attacked 
Rosser, and moved down the Valley again after a loss 
of twenty-two men killed and wounded. 

February 2j, 1865, Sheridan moved up the Valley 
for a final cleaning up of the Shenandoah. He had 
a grand array of ten thousand cavalry with which to 
complete the work of destroying the Central Railroad, 
and, if possible, to capture Lynchburg. At first Rosser 
made an ineffectual attempt to resist the march at Mt. 
Crawford. He started to burn the bridge at the 
Middle Fork of the Shenandoah; but Sheridan's men 
were in the mood to undertake anything, and they 
swam the river, defeated him, and captured thirty 
prisoners and twenty ambulances and wagons. 

On March 2, Early was found behind strong in- 
trenchments near Waynesboro, which is on the west 
side of the Blue Ridge. He had boasted that Sheridan 
would never be permitted to pass through Rock ford 
Gap; but Custer, finding that Early's left flank was 
somewhat exposed, without waiting for supports sent 
a dismounted regiment against that flank, while his 
mounted men attacked the breastworks in front. Some 
fierce fighting ensued ; the cavalry leaping their horses 
over the breastworks, while the Confederate infantry 
made a stubborn resistance with muskets, bayonets, 
and clubbed muskets. The flanking movement 
stampeded the Confederates, while two regiments of 
cavalry, charging through the break made by Custer, 



228 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

passed through the town and did not stop until they 
had crossed the South River, where they were in 
Early's rear. Here they formed and held the east 
bank till the whole of Early's men had surrendered, 
except Rosser, Early, and a dozen or more other 
officers and men, who made their escape to the woods 
and got across the Blue Ridge. Sheridan captured 
seventeen battle flags, eleven pieces of artillery, and 
sixteen hundred officers and men, besides all the 
wagons, tents, and ammunition of Early's army. 

This effectually cleaned out the Shenandoah Valley. 
The prisoners and captured material were sent by 
guard to Winchester, and on the 3d of March the 
railroad bridge across the South River was destroyed. 

The Union column now moved across the Blue 
Ridge, in a cold and drenching rain, on March 3d. 
The trains were left behind to be brought up later, 
while the troops were pushed on to Charlottesville. 
This place was occupied by the Union troops by noon 
of the 4th of March, the authorities coming out in 
advance to meet the cavalry and delivering the keys 
of public buildings in the style of ancient times. 
Heavy rain had been falling, and the roads were al- 
most bottomless. 

The Valley being now at Sheridan's mercy, railroads 
were broken up, the canal disabled by destroying every 
lock from Scotsville to New Market, the iron bridge 
across the South Fork of the Shenandoah wrecked, 
and mills, factories, and subsistence destroyed with re- 
lentless hand. The few Union citizens suffered alike 
with the disloyal. One of the former said to the Union 



SHERIDAN REJOINS GRANT 229 

soldiers, "If you don't burn it, the rebels will take it 
when they come this way ; " and then he set fire to the 
last stack of wheat that remained on which to feed 
his family. 

The war in the Valley was ended. Before Sheridan 
began operations there it was, and had been almost 
continuously, in the undisputed possession of the Con- 
federates. He left it with the power of the Confed- 
eracy there broken forever. 

Grant's instructions prescribed that Sheridan should 
cross to the south side of James River and capture 
Lynchburg. The river was, however, too swollen by 
heavy rains for him to do so. But this did not disturb 
Sheridan's equanimity. With admirable poise of judg- 
ment and fertility of recourse, and nowise discouraged, 
he abandoned the taking of Lynchburg and went for- 
ward with the purpose of crossing the James between 
Lynchburg and Richmond. Then, finding the enemy 
had destroyed all the bridges, he was reduced to the 
alternative of going back down the Valley again or of 
reaching Grant's army by way of White House. With 
characteristic boldness and courage he chose the latter 
course. Though it was not the original plan, it pro- 
duced as good an effect. 

On March 9, 1865, Sheridan's main column started 
eastward, destroying locks and dams, while Devens' 
division was sent on a forced march with instructions 
to destroy everything below Columbia. On the 10th of 
March Sheridan reached that place and sent word to 
Grant, reporting what he had done and requesting that 
rations and forage be sent him at White House, and 



230 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

also a pontoon bridge to enable him to cross the 
Pamunkey River. With his usual prudence and fore- 
sight he considered it too dangerous to march down 
the south side, where troops from Richmond might 
destroy him. 

He had to wait a day for his trains, for the mud 
greatly hindered them. The cavalry, preceding them 
in formations of four, threw up windrows of mud 
making the roads so bad as to wear out the mules. 
Sheridan says that he would have been obliged to 
abandon his trains but for the timely help of two thou- 
sand negroes who had joined his march, who lifted 
the mud-encompassed wagons through the sloughs. 

Shortly after this Custer captured some of the men 
who had been with Early, with two of his escaping 
staff officers. Early, however, escaped and crossing 
the South Anna River, reached Richmond, — the last 
man of the Army of the Shenandoah, probably, in 
arms. 

On the 1 8th of March Sheridan arrived at White 
House after overcoming almost insurmountable dif- 
ficulties, and there found supplies awaiting him. He 
had learned of the intention of the Confederates under 
Longstreet to cut off his force before reaching White 
House, but he had calculated his march so judiciously 
that the Confederates, after reaching Hanover Court 
House and finding they were unable to do so, retired 
to Richmond again. On the 25th of March Sheridan 
reached City Point by boat, which he had taken at 
General Grant's request. 

His march from the Valley has been characterized 



SHERIDAN REJOINS GRANT 231 

by him as one of greater hardships than was ever 
before encountered by the cavalry. In his report of 
it he says : " There perhaps never was a march where 
Nature offered such impediments and shrouded her- 
self in such gloom as this. Incessant rains, deep and 
almost impassable streams, swamps, and mud, were 
overcome with a constant cheerfulness on the part of 
the troops that was truly admirable. Both officers 
and men appeared buoyed up by the thought that we 
had completed our work in the Shenandoah Valley." 
Sheridan had been anxious to join Grant, for he 
foresaw that the end of the Confederacy was drawing 
near and he wanted to be in at the death. At this 
time the net which Grant had thrown out around the 
Confederate armies was being drawn closer and closer 
together. Fort Fisher and Wilmington had been cap- 
tured; Thomas had defeated and almost destroyed 
Hood's army at Nashville, Tennessee; Sherman had 
captured Atlanta and marched in triumph up the coast, 
causing the fall of Charleston and Savannah and de- 
stroying the Southern Railroad, as well as mills, work- 
shops, and warehouses. On the 23d of March he had 
reached Goldsboro, North Carolina, and was joined by 
the Union column from Wilmington and New Bern. 
Most of the Confederate forces were now closed in 
between Sherman, the Army of the Potomac, and the 
Atlantic Ocean, James River, and the Alleghanies. 
The Confederate armies were hopelessly entangled in 
Grant's great net, and the last days of the Confederacy 
were at hand. Sheridan had arrived in time to give 
the final blow, as we shall see in forthcoming pages. 



CHAPTER XXII 

THE BATTLE OF FIVE FORKS 

Upon Sheridan's arrival at City Point, the general 
went at once to the little hut where Grant made his 
headquarters. The Commander-in-Chief greeted him 
in his usual simple manner : " How are you, Sher- 
idan?" And then, as was his custom, waited for his 
visitor to begin the conversation. 

Sheridan gave a brief narrative of what he 
had done since leaving Winchester and his reasons 
for departing from the instructions he had re- 
ceived. 

" Very good," said Grant. " There are not many 
who would give up an independent command, as you 
have, voluntarily; but I will see that you don't lose 
anything by it." And then he began talking about 
a plan he had formed for Sheridan to strike the rail- 
roads; and as he talked he handed him a letter of 
written instructions which gave the details of the plan. 
These were, besides cutting the Danville and South 
Side railroads, to cut loose and go to Sherman, and 
then both march to Petersburg and help finish Lee's 
army. 

Sheridan at once objected to that part of the plan 
that was to take him from the Army of the Potomac, 
and said: "We can finish Lee without Sherman's 

232 



THE BATTLE OF FIVE FORKS 233 

help and with what men we have. If you carry out 
your plan people will say that you couldn't whip Lee, 
and had to send for Sherman to do it. That will hurt 
the pride of the Army of the Potomac. I tell you we 
can whip him without any help ! " 

Sheridan was looking very gloomy and disappointed, 
when Grant said quietly : " That part is put in for a 
blind. The peace men of the North say we can't end 
the war by fighting, but must make terms with the 
Confederates; if we meet with a check, they will say 
we are defeated. It is my intention to end the war 
right here." 

" I am glad to hear it," said Sheridan, slapping his 
knee and his face lighting up with pleasure. " And 
we can do it ! " 

Grant had set the 29th of March for beginning 
operations against Lee's army. Before that time ar- 
rived President Lincoln came to City Point, and not 
long after Sherman followed. There was an inter- 
esting conference between the President and the three 
famous brother soldiers. 

Lincoln was far from cheerful. He did not tell 
even one of his little stories to illustrate his talk, ac- 
cording to his usual custom. It is possible that he felt 
the overhanging shadow of the violent death that so 
soon befell him. His mind, it was evident, was dwell- 
ing upon the possibilities of the coming campaign ; for 
he asked if it were not possible to end the war with- 
out another battle. He said to Sheridan also, as 
though dreading the issue of battle : " What effect 
will it have if, while you are moving on the Confed- 



234 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

erate left, Lee should come out and capture City 
Point?" 

" Lee wouldn't do such a rash thing," said Sheridan ; 
" he had enough of it when he got worsted at Fort 
Steadman the other day." 

On the night of March 28 Sheridan received his 
instructions to move at an early hour on the following 
day, with the assurance from Grant that he would 
follow or engage the enemy. His instructions were to 
cut the Southside and Danville railroads, by which Lee 
received supplies for his army and by which he might 
retreat, and, having done this, to return to the Army 
of the Potomac or join Sherman in North Carolina, 
just as he thought best. 

In compliance with these instructions, on the morn- 
ing of the 29th Sheridan moved out towards Ream's 
Station, on the Weldon Railroad, — the general move- 
ment of all his divisions being westward. The frost 
had thawed, the roads were almost hub-deep for his 
wagons and knee-deep for his horses. With a part 
of his cavalry he reached Dinwiddie, a place of great 
strategic importance, for it was on the Five Forks 
Road, which led directly to Lee's right flank. So far 
he had gained a bloodless but not mudless advantage 
over the enemy. 

The evening of his arrival a heavy rainstorm set in, 
and as his headquarters' wagon was stuck in the mud, 
far back on the road, he had neither food nor tent. He 
and his staff took up their quarters for the night in a 
dilapidated tavern which had been propped up with 
pine poles to keep it from falling over. While here he 



THE BATTLE OF FIVE FORKS 235 

got a message from Grant to abandon all thoughts of 
the raid that had been planned, and to prepare to act 
in conjunction with the rest of the army against Lee. 
The rain, which had been falling for hours, had turned 
the roads, seemingly into bottomless bogs and quick- 
sands. So many complaints had come to Grant about 
the impossibility of continuing operations, that he had 
sent a message to Sheridan intimating that he might 
be compelled to suspend movements until the mud dried 
up. This did not suit Sheridan, and he rode over to 
see Grant. While waiting to see the general, Sheridan 
talked to some of his staff officers about the situation. 
" I am ready," said Sheridan to them, " to start out 
and smash things! " 

" But how," said they, " are you going to get forage 
for your horses? " 

" Forage? " he said. " I'll get all the forage I need, 
if I have to corduroy every mile of road. I tell you, 
now is the time to smash Lee's army ! Mud ? What's 
a little mud ! " 

I suspect that he must have talked to Grant in the 
same hopeful, vehement manner; for, after listening 
to him in imperturbable silence, Grant said, in that 
simple way of his which showed that his decision was 
irrevocable, " We will go on." 

Sheridan's cheerful views seemed to infect those 
with whom he came in contact. " If you will let me 
have the Sixth Corps," he said to Grant, " I believe 
I can break through the Confederate right without 
any other help." 

" No," said Grant, " the roads are too bad for mov- 



236 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

ing infantry at present; you will have to seize Five 
Forks with your cavalry." 

At that time the left flank of the Union army, 
under Warren, rested on the Boydtown road not far 
from where it joined the Quaker road; then came 
Humphry's, Wright's, and Park's corps, in the order 
named, with the right flank resting on Appomattox 
River. 

When the Army of the Potomac had moved to the 
left, Lee advanced his infantry to the White Oak road, 
and by drawing in his cavalry protected the cross- 
roads at Five Forks. Here he had also intrenched and 
otherwise strengthened the position, as though it were 
a city instead a junction of country roads. 

Returning from his conference with Grant, Sheridan 
stopped to see General Warren, who spoke discourag- 
ingly of the prospects. Warren was an able soldier, 
but was slower and more deliberate than Sheridan. 
The muddy roads discouraged him, and the mud 
seemed to have befogged his ordinarily clear brain. 

Upon Sheridan's arrival at Dinwiddie things began 
to move, in spite of mud. He sent out Merritt with his 
cavalry to find out the location and strength of the 
enemy. This reconnaissance brought on a sharp fight, 
during which the Confederates were forced back to 
Five Forks. There they took position behind their 
heavy line of intrenchments. Sheridan learned that 
Pickett's division of Confederate infantry had arrived 
to support the cavalry, and saw by this that the enemy 
intended to fight for the possession of the coveted 
cross-roads. He reported the situation to Grant, who 



THE BATTLE OF FIVE FORKS 237 

offered him the Fifth Corps to help him capture the 
position. Sheridan replied, " Give me the Sixth 
Corps; I know what I can do with them, and they 
know me." Grant, however, said that the Sixth Corps 
could not be taken from the line. 

Sheridan had at this time three divisions of cavalry, 
numbering in all about nine thousand horsemen. On 
the night of the 30th the two brigades of Devens' were 
camped on the road leading to Five Forks, while 
many other cavalrymen were trying to get the wagons 
out of the mud. On the 31st it had stopped raining, 
and Sheridan made preparations to capture Five Forks. 

Merritt advanced and, notwithstanding an obstinate 
resistance by the rebel picket, had but little trouble in 
getting possession of the coveted cross-roads, for the 
enemy at that time were turning their attention to 
something else. General Pickett, who was now in com- 
mand of both the Confederate cavalry and five 
brigades of infantry, was marching to get in Merritt's 
rear by crossing Chamberlain Creek. Sheridan had 
already seized a ford of much importance on the creek, 
but the enemy succeeded in crossing higher up, but not 
without a sharp fight. In the fighting and maneuvers 
that followed Pickett got between the forces of Merritt 
and Crook, cutting off both Devens and Davis from 
the road to Dinwiddie and compelling them to retreat 
across the country and reach the rest of Sheridan's 
army by a long and difficult march. 

At four o'clock in the afternoon things looked 
critical for Sheridan. He, however, concentrated his 
forces at Dinwiddie, about a mile northwest from the 



238 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

cross-roads, and determined to hold on at all hazards. 
His line was a semi-circle in form, with the left in 
some woods half a mile west of the Court House 
and his right near the Boydtown road. His horse 
artillery had been brought up and every gun placed 
in line. It was near sunset when the Confederates, 
thinking the victory was theirs, made a dash over an 
open field with wild yells when, whew! one of Sher- 
idan's divisions attacked their left flank with such sud- 
den vigor that it fell back in astonishment. This 
enabled the division of Smith, that had held the ford, 
to come up in line with the rest of the forces. 

Just before sundown the enemy, in a long, dense, 
gray line, marched over an open field to the attack. 
Sheridan, accompanied by some of his officers, rode 
along his lines to encourage his men, and was re-- 
ceived with loud cheers and exclamation of confidence. 

" We are going to stay here, men," said Sheridan ; 
" we aren't going to allow that crowd to drive us! " 

The Confederates, seeing the group, opened on it 
with their artillery, emptying several saddles. The 
horse artillery replied by opening fire upon the Con- 
federate lines. The cavalry, dismounted, awaited until 
the enemy were within short range, and then opened 
fire with their repeating rifles. The Confederates 
stood the devastating fire but a short time and then 
broke for the woods in a greater hurry than when they 
advanced. 

Sheridan sent word to Grant that he had just re- 
pulsed the Confederate infantry and, though outnum- 
bered, he proposed to stay at Dinwiddie. Grant re- 



THE BATTLE OF FIVE FORKS 239 

plied that he had ordered Warren with the Fifth Corps, 
and also Mackenzie's cavalry, from the Army of the 
James, sent to him. At the same time he gave him 
full authority to use this force as he thought best. 

Pickett was at this time completely isolated from 
Lee's army, and Sheridan planned to destroy him, if 
possible, before he could get back to the main Con- 
federate lines. With this plan in view, he sent a 
courier to General Warren to inform him of the 
position of the enemy in his front, saying, " Any force 
moving down the road I am holding, or on the White 
Oak road, will be in the enemy's rear." He closed his 
message with the words, " Do not fear my leaving 
here. If the enemy remains, I shall fight at daylight." 

Meade had sent word to Sheridan that Warren 
would be up by midnight. When daylight dawned 
and Warren had not come, Sheridan was angry. 
Warren, instead of marching through the night, had 
encamped and at daylight was just breaking bivouac. 
So the golden opportunity of destroying Pickett at that 
time had passed; for as soon as Lee was informed of 
Warren's movement he instructed Pickett to fall back 
with his whole force to Five Forks. 

Sheridan, however, knew that Pickett must fight 
at Five Forks, for its possession was of vital im- 
portance to Lee. Leaving only a cavalry picket be- 
hind, the Confederates fell back to that place. Sher- 
idan drove back the cavalry pickets and followed up 
the retreating enemy vigorously. At last, at seven 
o'clock in the morning, he was joined by Warren's in- 
fantry, consisting of three divisions, under command 



240 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

of General Ayres, Griffin, and Crawford, about half- 
way between Dinwiddie Court House and Five Forks. 

As Warren was now in position where he could act 
in concert with his cavalry, Sheridan hurried up to 
Five Forks, leaving Warren to bring up the Fifth 
Corps. Though filled with intense ardor, his judg- 
ment and control of his troops were never more com- 
prehensive and strong. The plan which he made for 
the coming battle was ingeniously conceived and skill- 
fully executed, matching in generalship Napoleon's 
best efforts. It was to attack Pickett's whole front 
with Merritt's two divisions of cavalry, make believe 
that he was about to turn the right flank of the enemy, 
and then with the Fifth Corps attack his left. As the 
Fifth Corps moved into battle, Mackenzie's cavalry 
was to cover its right flank, in this way cutting off 
Pickett's troops from communication with Lee. 

Sheridan explained this plan to Warren, informing 
him how the enemy were posted and how he wished 
him to place his troops. Warren seemed to com- 
prehend clearly what was required, but did not appear 
solicitous. Sheridan interpreted his manner as being 
apathetic and indifferent. He was irritated by this 
seeming indifference, and was fearful lest his cavalry 
should expend all their ammunition before the battle 
began. 

About four o'clock Warren began his attack, mov- 
ing almost at an angle with the White Oak road, 
where the Confederate intrenchments were. The 
enemy's left formed a right angle, about one hundred 
yards in length, to his main line, and was protected by 



THE BATTLE OF FIVE FORKS 241 

strong earthworks behind a veil of small thick pine 
wood. Moving forward. Ayres' division formed a 
pivot from which the two other divisions wheeled and, 
therefore, encountered the enemy first at the angle de- 
scribed. He received the enemy's fire alone and stag- 
gered back, as though about to break. Seeing this, 
Sheridan dashed along the line, where the enemy's 
bullets were pattering like big raindrops, calling out to 
the men words of cheerful encouragement and finding 
something to say to every regiment : " Come on, men ! 
We've got them in a tight place ! Go for 'em on the 
jump ! They are all ready to run ! Hurry up or they 
will get away from you ! " and similar words of con- 
fident cheer. 

Under the inspiration of their young general's 
presence the veterans swung down toward the woods, 
with steady, confident front that boded no good to 
the Confederates. Sheridan, his face blackened with 
powder, his black horse throwing mud from his heels, 
with distended nostrils, as if entering into the spirit 
of its rider, moved forward with his troops on the 
enemy. As they entered the entangling underbrush 
of the wood, the troops met with a terrific fire of 
musketry that almost broke their lines. At this criti- 
cal moment Sheridan seized his battle flag from the 
sergeant who bore it and, waving the crimson and 
white banner, rallied the men, while bullets hummed 
around him like angry hornets. One tore his battle 
flag, another killed the sergeant who had carried it, 
others struck down members of his staff. Sheridan, 
meanwhile, dashing from one part of the line to the 



242 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

other, was waving his flag and calling to the men: 
" Keep at them, men ! We've got them ! Go for 
them ! Don't let up on them ! " A soldier who was in 
that line said afterwards to the writer, " A man who 
wouldn't follow Phil Sheridan ought to die ! " 

The blue line, rushing forward with fixed bayonets 
and with tremendous cheers, swept over the Con- 
federate intrenchments among a line of Confederates 
who had thrown down their arms. Sheridan leaped 
his horse, Rienzi, over the breastworks among this 
crowd of surrendering Confederates and, greeting 
them good-humoredly, called out : " Drop your guns ! 
You will never need them again ! " One of them in- 
quired, " Where shall we go ? " " Right over there," 
said Sheridan. " We want every one of you ! We 
will take good care of you! " About fifteen hundred 
prisoners were captured at this point. 

When Ayers went over the works, Devens' division 
of cavalry went over in company with it and the 
dismounted cavalry, intermingling with the infantry, 
hardly stopping to re-form, swept down inside of the 
Confederate defenses, capturing thousands of prisoners 
and several pieces of artillery. 

Griffin, meanwhile, fell upon the rear of the enemy's 
left flank. At the same time Crawford moved farther 
to the right and drove back the skirmishers of the 
enemy's line, turning the left of any force fighting or 
trying to fight Ayres and Griffin, till he got to the 
Ford road. Then Crawford's men swung around and 
faced southward, and rushed down the reverse side of 
the enemy's lines. 



THE BATTLE OF FIVE FORKS 243 

The Confederates were now completely surrounded 
and entrapped. The whole force, after all the re- 
sistance they could make, surrendered. Great as was 
this glorious and decisive victory, it had been won at 
a comparatively small cost. Only six hundred of the 
infantry were killed and wounded, while the loss of 
the cavalry, all told, was but a few hundred men. 

Only one sad thing remains to be told of this battle. 
Before the victory was won Sheridan, dissatisfied with 
Warren, relieved him from his command and put 
Griffin in command of the Fifth Corps. The difference 
in temperament of the two men had led to this action. 
Sheridan moved faster than Warren, and he doubt- 
less mistook for indifference and apathy the cool and 
deliberate manner of Warren. The occasion was not 
an ordinary one and Sheridan claimed that Warren 
had not risen to the demand of that critical time; and 
so he deemed it unsafe to retain him longer. 

Sheridan's success was tremendous. He had cap- 
tured thirteen battle flags, six pieces of artillery, nearly 
six thousand prisoners, and had completely overthrown 
Pickett. Lee's right had been violently wrenched 
from his center and would give no more trouble to 
Grant. 



CHAPTER XXIII 

THE BATTLE OF SAILOR'S CREEK 

Upon learning of Sheridan's success, and realizing 
its decisive character, Grant ordered an attack to be 
made all along Lee's fortified line. Lee had not ex- 
pected the defeat that had befallen him at Five Forks, 
and his retreat was delayed by the necessity of getting 
his trains with food and other supplies in motion. It 
was also necessary for him to protect the Confederate 
Government in its flight from Richmond. 

On the evening of April i, Miles with his division 
was ordered by Grant to report to Sheridan, who ad- 
vanced towards Petersburg and attacked the enemy's 
works where the White Oak road joined the Claiborn 
road. Just as Sheridan was about to deal the enemy 
a decisive blow, as he confidently believed, at a vital 
point, Meade ordered the return of Miles's division. 

Meanwhile Merritt's cavalry had been sent west- 
ward to break up a line of Confederate cavalry north 
of Hatcher's Run. This being easily done, the enemy 
was driven in a northerly direction, while the Fifth 
Corps was pushed on towards Sutherland Station, in 
order to come in the rear of that part of the enemy 
that was then confronting Miles. 

The main forces of the Confederate army had, 
meanwhile, begun their retreat along the river road 

244 



[THE BATTLE OF SAILOR'S CREEK 245 

south of the Appomattox. Though Sheridan picked 
up a few prisoners, the darkness did not allow of much 
being accomplished. The next morning, however, the 
pursuit was resumed with great vigor, the Fifth Corps 
all the while keeping close up to the cavalry, and press- 
ing on the heels of Lee's retreating army. During the 
day hundreds of prisoners were captured by Sheridan, 
as well as five pieces of artillery and many wagons. 
At Deep Creek the harassed Confederates turned on 
Merritt, who was in advance, and attacked him so 
furiously that he halted and waited for Crook's cavalry 
to arrive before resuming the pursuit. Night, mean- 
while, came and the enemy resumed their march under 
the protection of darkness. 

It was now apparent to Sheridan that the Con- 
federates were heading for Amelia Court House, as a 
point of concentration for their troops that were mov- 
ing north and south of the Appomattox River. To 
head off Lee's column Sheridan ordered Crook to strike 
the Danville Railroad and then move south towards 
Jettersville, and at the same time the Fifth Corps was 
ordered to that place by a direct route, while Merritt 
was sent to Amelia Court House. 

After putting these forces in motion, Sheridan with 
an escort of a hundred men hurried to Jettersville. 
Upon his arrival he stretched out his small force to 
cover the roads till the arrival of his troops. While 
deploying for this purpose, he captured a man who, 
upon being searched, was found to have concealed in 
one of his boots this message from Lee's commissary- 
general : " The army is at Amelia Court House, short 



246 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

of provisions. Send 300,000 rations quickly to Burke- 
ville Junction." 

This message at once revealed to Sheridan's quick 
mind that Lee was concentrating his army at Amelia 
Court House, and also that Crook had broken the 
telegraph lines after this message had been written. In 
view of this information, he immediately sent word 
to hasten Crook up the railroad to Jettersville, while 
Merritt was hurried forward close upon the heels of 
the retreating Confederates. A staff officer was also 
sent to hurry up the Fifth Corps. 

Sheridan's men were destitute of rations, and instead 
of delaying his march for his trains to arrive, he deter- 
mined to capture for his men the supplies that were 
ordered by Lee's commissary-general. With this in 
view, he sent the messages, which were in duplicate, 
by two of his scouts dressed in the uniforms of Con- 
federate officers, to be sent as written, as soon as a 
telegraph station was reached, to hurry up the provi- 
sions. Farther along in this narrative the reader will 
see how these trains fell into Sheridan's hands. 

Sheridan's cavalry with the Fifth Corps reached 
Jettersville in the evening of the 4th of April, and on 
the afternoon of the next day General Meade arrived 
in advance of his troops, and, being ill, requested 
Sheridan to place his force in position. 

Sheridan had sent out Davis's cavalry to make a 
reconnaissace. While thus engaged, Davies captured 
five pieces of artillery, as well as two hundred wagons, 
several of which belonged to Lee's headquarters. 

It was plain to Sheridan that Lee would attempt 



THE BATTLE OF SAILOR'S CREEK 247 

to escape by the Pains cross-roads, as soon as his trains 
were out of the way. He wanted to attack at once, 
but Meade objected to doing this until all his troops 
were up, when he proposed to advance to Amelia Court 
House. Sheridan at once sent word to Grant telling 
what he had done, saying: "The Second Corps is 
coming up and I am satisfied that we can capture Lee 
if we properly exert ourselves. I am going to put all 
my cavalry on my left except Mackenzie, and with 
such a disposition of my forces I can see no escape 
for Lee." He also sent to Grant a captured letter from 
one of Lee's colonels, which depicted the deplorable 
state of the Confederate army and closed with the 
words, " I wish you were here." 

When Grant got this communication, he was ten 
miles from Burkeville Junction; but, though it was 
night when he received it, he set out at once for Jetters- 
ville, arriving there at midnight. He agreed with 
Sheridan that it was not simply enough to pursue the 
Confederates, but that they should be headed off, add- 
ing, " I have no doubt that Lee is moving now." 

Meade requested the return of the Fifth Corps so 
that he could have all the Army of the Potomac under 
his command, and it was returned to him. But when 
on the morning of the 6th Meade advanced to Amelia 
Court House, he found, as Sheridan had predicted, that 
Lee had got away. 

Believing that Meade's march was useless, Sheridan 
started out on the road running to Rice Station and 
discovered the Confederate trains moving on this road. 
They were so strongly guarded that little impression 



248 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

could be made on them by Crook. Sheridan first left a 
force to harass the rear of the retreating trains, and 
then moved in such a manner as to keep parallel to the 
Confederate line of march. 

Sailor's Creek, from which the battle takes its name, 
is a small, shallow stream which flows across the road 
(in a northwesterly direction) leading from Deatons- 
ville to Rice Station. Merritt gained the Rice Station 
road west of the stream and began destroying the 
wagons while Crook threw his force squarely across 
the road, blocking the Confederate troops under Ewell. 
With the intention of fighting to the death, Ewell 
placed Anderson's troops on some rising ground west 
of the creek, behind barricades. His purpose was to 
make so desperate a fight there that the rest of his 
forces could get away on the road that led to Farmville. 
To prevent this, Sheridan formed two divisions of 
Crook's men and attacked all along Ewell's front, while 
Merritt fiercely attacked on his right. This kept the 
Confederates from escaping until the Fifth Corps 
arrived. Then Ewell, while still contending with the 
cavalry in desperate battle, found himself in greater 
peril from the Fifth Corps in his rear. 

The brave Confederate general never flinched, but 
prepared to meet this new danger by placing Custis Lee 
to the left and Kershaw to the right of the Rice Station 
road, supporting the latter with the Marine brigade, 
and held the line of Sailor's Creek with skirmishers. 

Grant had ordered the Sixth Corps to follow Sher- 
idan, saying, " The Sixth Corps will go in with a vim 
any place you may dictate." When Sheridan had re- 



THE BATTLE OF SAILOR'S CREEK 249 

quested Wright to hurry up, the soldiers of the Sixth 
put their leg muscles into action with the greatest pos- 
sible vigor, and tore through the mud to the scene of 
battle. 

A young soldier who was in one of the cavalry 
charges, having cleared the enemy's barricades and 
made his way through the Confederate lines, took care- 
ful note of everything he saw and brought to Sher- 
idan information of just how the Confederate lines 
were posted. So, when Wright came up with his old 
fighters of the Sixth Corps, he placed Seymour's divi- 
sion on the right of the road, while Wheaton's divi- 
sion, streaming with sweat and breathless with haste, 
formed on Seymour's left. The artillery rattled up 
with mud flying from the wheels, and went into posi- 
tion without waiting for Getty's division ; for Sheridan 
feared that the enemy might get away if there was 
much delay in beginning the fight. 

Ewell's force was attacked front and left by 
Wheaton and Seymour, and Stagg's brigade went in 
with them along with Devens' cavalry, while Merritt 
and Crook resumed the fight with their accustomed 
gallantry and courage. The Confederates, completely 
hemmed in and seeing but little chance for escape, 
fought with the desperation of despair. Pressed by the 
confident Union troops, who were urged on by the 
fiery zeal of their great commander, they fought with a 
bravery and courage that commanded the admiration 
of their enemy. Again and again they surged down 
almost to the creek. They were bleeding with wounds 
and were harassed in front and rear, but they still 



250 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

fought on in sudden attacks and furious sallies. One 
must lack the common sentiments of manhood who 
does not feel a thrill of admiration and pity for those 
brave fighters of a losing cause. 

Ewell could at last contend no longer, and all of his 
immediate command were captured. Anderson's for- 
mations were broken but he, with about two thousand 
of his gallant men, escaped through the woods. 
Though night had come, Sheridan pushed his cavalry 
in pursuit for several miles, the tireless Sixth Corps 
following after them that they might clinch the vic- 
tory. 

The battle had not only destroyed an army corps 
of the Confederates, but it compelled Lee to abandon 
his line of march to Danville and obliged Longstreet 
to take a road leading towards Lynchburg. 

Sheridan had captured six generals and over nine 
thousand prisoners; he had destroyed several hundred 
wagons, and, more important than all else, was planted 
squarely across the Confederate line of retreat. At the 
close of the battle he sent a staff officer to Grant, re- 
porting what he had done. 

The Sixth Corps now remained under Sheridan's 
command until after Lee's surrender. 



CHAPTER XXIV 

THE END OF THE CONFEDERACY 

On the morning of the 7th of April Sheridan moved 
out in pursuit of the nearly exhausted Confederates. 
He sent Crook's division towards Farmville, while 
Merritt and Mackenzie were directed towards Prince 
Edward's Court House to head off any effort of Lee 
to escape by that route to Danville. 

Crook overtook Lee's army moving on the north side 
of the Appomattox, in the vicinity of Farmville. The 
Confederates were in no mood for trifling with cavalry- 
men, and savagely attacked and drove Crook across 
the river. It was now clear to Sheridan's mind that 
Lee had abandoned all thought of escaping by the way 
of Danville and was heading for Lynchburg. He 
therefore resolved to throw his cavalry squarely across 
the path of Lee's retreat. With this relentless purpose 
he quickly united his divisions and moved them with 
fierce haste towards Appomattox depot. His scouts, 
dressed in the uniform of Confederates officers, were 
out in every direction, gathering information and at 
times, it was said, distracting and hindering the Con- 
federates by giving misleading orders. Theirs was a 
dangerous occupation, needless to say, as all army oc- 
cupations are. 

Another feature of Sheridan's army was a large 

251 



252 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

number of Confederate battle flags, borne unfurled as 
trophies of the campaign. At every point there were 
indications that the last days of the Confederacy were 
at hand. In Sheridan's track baggage wagons, artil- 
lery, and captured material of all kinds littered the 
roads along which the enemy was fleeing. Sheridan 
inspired all with whom he came in contact. No 
soldiers ever did such marching before ; it was not un- 
usual for his infantry to march thirty-five miles a day. 
They were tired, muddy, and hungry, but they wanted 
to " get there '" with Sheridan. 

One of his scouts brought information to Sheridan 
that there were three trains of cars at the Appomattox 
railway station. These were the trains that had been 
ordered by Lee's commissary-general from Lynch- 
burg, which order, it will be remembered was captured 
and forwarde'd by telegraph by Sheridan's scouts. As 
one of these scouts had the original order and was 
dressed in Confederate uniform, he had no trouble 
in pursuading those in charge of the trains to bring 
them east of Appomattox Station. Fearing, however, 
that the true state of affairs might be discovered by 
the Confederates, Sheridan sent out two regiments to 
break the railroad, so that they could not be sent back 
to Lynchburg. Custer took possession of these trains 
just as the advance guard of Lee's army appeared to 
secure them. With his customary dash, Custer drove 
them away, capturing from them a hospital train, 
twenty-five pieces of artillery, and a large number of 
wagons that had been sent ahead of Lee's army in the 
hope that they might be able to reach Lynchburg the 



END OF THE CONFEDERACY 



-^j 



next day. The trains were put in charge of some of 
Sheridan's men, formerly locomotive engineers; and 
they in a merry mood began running them back and 
forth like mad, whistling as though destruction had 
broken loose, — and it had! 

The night of the 8th of April was one of great ex- 
citement. Sheridan felt that if infantry could be got 
up, the war would be ended by the capture of Lee's 
army. Staff officers were sent to Grant and to General 
Ord requesting them to hurry up the infantry. Ord 
marched his corps all night, and before sunrise he 
arrived and informed Sheridan that his men were at 
hand. 

The Confederates were now in great straits; they 
had met with misfortunes and defeats on every side, 
and their cause looked hopeless. Lee saw his brave 
and devoted soldiers fainting with hunger and fatigue, 
dropping out one by one from his ranks. They were 
fighting against hope, as well as against their enemies, 
with brave but failing hearts. Their army was crum- 
bling in pieces. Finally, on the night of the 8th of 
April, Lee held a council of war, at which it was de- 
termined that in the morning they would, if possible 
break through Sheridan's cavalry and try to reach 
Lynchburg. 

In the early hours Sheridan saw a heavy line of 
soldiers in gray massed and bearing down upon his 
troops near the village of Appomattox. He ordered 
his men to fall back slowly, and in such a manner as to 
leave space for the advance of Ord's infantry. The 
men in gray advanced, brushing aside the cavalry with 



254 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

their old warlike vigor; but when they saw the dense 
blue lines of Union infantry emerging from the woods, 
they knew that all was over. They halted and began 
to retire towards a hill in front of Appomattox Court 
House, as the blue lines advanced over the ground 
abandoned by the cavalry. 

Sheridan decided to charge, and was making ready 
by giving orders, when an aide-de-camp rode hastily up 
to him and called out : " Don't charge ! Lee has sur- 
rendered! " The long blue line of Ord's corps halted, 
the men standing at rest, the flags along their front 
fluttering in the warm spring air. Groups of officers 
conversed and pointed toward the Confederate lines, 
while the men stood wearily at parade rest. 

Sending word to General Ord, Sheridan rode down 
with his staff toward the Confederate army, when 
from some woods there came the crackling of mus- 
ketry and the hum of bullets. " We are under a flag of 
truce ! " Sheridan called out. " You are violating the 
truce ! " As they did not cease firing, Sheridan and 
his party taking shelter in a ravine, again moved to- 
wards the Court House, with a sergeant following 
with his battle flag. In front, when near the Court 
House, muskets were again leveled at him, and from 
the rear he heard a Confederate soldier demanding 
from his sergeant his battle flag. The sergeant had 
drawn his sword and was about to cut down the Con- 
federate when Sheridan interfered. He then sent 
forward an officer to a group of Confederates demand- 
ing an explanation. The officer returned bearing 
apologies, and saying that Generals Gordon and Wil- 



END OF THE CONFEDERACY 255 

cox were in the group and invited Sheridan to join 
them. As he reached them, firing broke out in front 
of his cavalry. 

With his eyes fairly ablaze, Sheridan exclaimed : 
" General, your men fired on me as I was coming 
here, and are now undoubtedly treating Custer and 
Merritt in the same way. We might as well fight it 
out!" 

" Oh ! no," said General Gordon, " there must be 
some mistake." 

" Why not send over a staff officer, then, and have 
your people cease firing?" 

'" I have no staff officers," said Gordon. 

" Then," said Sheridan, " I will lend you one." 

The officer delivered the message, but was held as a 
prisoner of war by the South Carolina general com- 
manding the force. 

" But," said the officer bearing the message, " I am 
under a flag of truce." 

" I don't care for flags of truce," said the general ; 
" South Carolinians never surrender." 

Merritt's patience, as well as Sheridan's, was now 
exhausted, and he ordered an attack that put a stop to 
further violations of the truce and sobered the " last 
ditch " Confederates who had violated it. 

When this disturbance was over, Gordon explained 
that General Lee had asked for a suspension of hos- 
tilities while negotiations with General Grant were in 
progress. 

" I have been informed of it," said Sheridan, " but 
it seems strange to me that, while the negotiations 



256 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

were going on, you attempted to break through my 
lines this morning; and I will make no terms, except 
that Lee must surrender when Grant gets here." 

" There is no doubt," said Gordon, " of Lee's sur- 
render; his army is exhausted." 

Shortly after this General Longstreet came up and 
renewed the assurance given by General Gordon. 

Word was then sent to General Meade, by Colonel 
Forsyth, that he might understand the situation and 
further bloodshed be prevented. 

The little village of Appomattox, consisting of less 
than a dozen houses, is on rising ground with a broad 
valley south and west of it. Sheridan had halted 
his cavalry on a high ridge west of the village, while 
Ord's infantry line was curved from west to south. 

About one o'clock General Grant rode up at a fast 
pace and, first addressing Sheridan, said, " How are 
you, Sheridan? " 

" First-rate, thank you," said Sheridan. " How are 
you?" 

" Is General Lee up there ? " said Grant, looking 
towards the village. 

" Yes," said Sheridan, " he's there in that brick 
house." 

" Very well," said Grant, " let's go up, then." 

General Sheridan, with a few officers of his staff, 
joined General Grant and together they went to the 
McLean house at Appomattox village, where Lee was 
awaiting Grant's arrival. 

When Sheridan entered the McLean house Gen- 
eral Lee, dressed in a new gray uniform, was stand- 



END OF THE CONFEDERACY 257 

ing. His tall form and fine sword and other military 
appointments presented a contrast to the slight figure 
and simple dress of the Union commander-in-chief, 
who was without a sword and with nothing to show 
his rank but his dingy shoulder-straps. After being 
presented to Lee, Sheridan retired until after the 
terms of surrender were agreed upon. Then Colonel 
Babcock came to the door, saying, " The surrender 
has been made; you can come in." 

When Sheridan reentered the room, General Grant 
was writing; and General Lee, who was sitting with 
some papers in his hand, said to Sheridan, who had 
previously requested that the two dispatches should be 
returned to him which he had written notifying Gen- 
eral Lee that some of his cavalry were violating the 
truce, " I am very sorry, but probably my cavalry did 
not understand." 

While the terms of surrender were being signed Lee 
was seated, and Grant, at a small table, was facing 
him. Colonel Marshall, Lee's chief -of -staff, stood 
leaning against the mantel of the old-fashioned broad 
fireplace. Colonel Babcock and General Seth Wil- 
liams, of Grant's staff, stood leaning against the wall 
back of their chief. General Ord was seated near 
Grant. Besides these there were General Rawlins, 
Grant's chief -of -staff, who stood near Grant, and five 
of six other members of his staff. 

Sheridan, standing back of General Grant, fell into 
an unconsciously dramatic attitude, with his sheathed 
saber resting on his left arm. His broad-shouldered 
but slight form, his large head, his dark eyes, all ex- 



258 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

pressed the personification of activity, force, power, 
and determination. 

A few moments after this, Lee mounted his gray 
horse and rode off to take his last farewell of his 
army, and to write those parting words that even to 
this day no men that wore the gray can read without 
tears. The war was over, and the brave men of the 
" lost cause," no longer enemies, were fellow-country- 
men of the Northerners. 

Sheridan had borne a great part in the battles that 
gave the Union its final victory and peace. But his 
work was not done; he had yet heavy duties to perform 
as an officer in peace. 



CHAPTER XXV 

SHERIDAN VS. LOUIS NAPOLEON 

While on his return march to Petersburg after the 
surrender, Sheridan learned of the assassination of 
Lincoln. He was deeply stirred by the untimely death 
of the great President. 

Upon receiving the surrender of Lee's army, Grant 
had at once gone to Washington, stopped recruiting, 
and cut down the expenses of the army to as near a 
peace basis as was possible at that time. He ordered 
Sheridan to come there at once. Sheridan took the 
boat for Washington, and, upon his arrival, was as- 
signed to command west of the Mississippi. This 
command embraced the whole of Mississippi and that 
part of Louisiana held by the enemy. His instructions 
from Grant were to compel the surrender of the Con- 
federate forces in Texas and Louisiana in the shortest 
possible time, and to hold the Rio Grande with a strong 
force, whether the Confederates surrenderd or not; 
and that no time was to be lost in getting there. 

There was to be a grand review at Washington of 
the great armies that had participated in the war, on 
the 23rd and 24th of May, and Sheridan naturally 
wanted to stop and take part in it; but Grant's orders 
were imperative. A soldier cannot choose, he must 
obey; for obedience is the first law of an army. So 

259 



260 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

Sheridan, after fighting during the war, did not stop 
to visit his friends, and, without a chance to say 
good-by to the men who had served so faithfully under 
him and to whom he was much attached, set out at 
once for the scene of his new duties. 

Before arriving at New Orleans, he learned that the 
Confederates in Louisiana and Texas had surrendered 
on the same terms that were given to Lee and John- 
ston. The surrender of these forces, however, was 
not carried out in good faith by the Confederates, es- 
pecially by the Texas troops, who in several cases 
had, contrary to the terms of their surrender, marched 
off, taking their arms and camp equipage and, in 
some instances, their artillery with them, for the pur- 
pose of joining the Imperialists in Mexico. 

The reason why Grant had instructed Sheridan to 
maintain a strong force on the Rio Grande, whether 
the Confederates surrendered or not, was that the 
French Emperor, Louis Napoleon, taking advantage of 
the war in which the United States was engaged, had 
landed an army in Mexico, overthrown the Mexican 
Republic, and established an empire with Maximilian, 
an Austrian prince, on its throne. Grant considered 
the establishment of this government an act of hos- 
tility, and a part of the rebellion itself. Every act of 
that empire established on American soil had been hos- 
tile to the government of the United States. Its rulers 
had allowed the river Rio Grande to be an open port 
to those in rebellion. The Confederates had received 
arms, munitions, and other active assistance across the 
Mexican borders, and those who had surrendered to 



SHERIDAN VS. LOUIS NAPOLEON 261 

the United States were permitted to take refuge on 
Mexican soil, protected by French bayonets. To se- 
cure an honorable and permanent peace it was neces- 
sary for the French to be compelled to leave Mexico; 
and it was for the purpose of putting pressure upon 
the Imperialists that Grant had ordered Sheridan to 
occupy the line of the Rio Grande, which is the bound- 
ary line between the two countries. 

Sheridan sent four of his most trusted scouts, the 
same who had served with him in the Army of the Po- 
tomac, to glean information about the ex-Confeder- 
ates who had crossed the Rio Grande, and also to dis- 
cover the movements of the Imperial forces. Feeling 
justified by the information that he gathered, Sheridan 
caused a demonstration to be made along the Rio 
Grande, and at the same time sent a demand for the 
return of arms and other munitions of war that had 
been turned over to the Imperial army by the ex-Con- 
federates. This demand, together with the formidable 
display of force, caused consternation among the 
French troops, for they were aware of Sheridan's repu- 
tation as a fighter and inferred that he would not 
stand on the order of his coming and would strike 
hard when he came. They began preparations for the 
abandonment of northern Mexico, and, no doubt, if 
Sheridan had not been interfered with, they would 
have soon left for home with their whole army. But 
Mr. Seward, Secretary of State, contented himself 
with the return of some of the contraband artillery and 
profuse apologies from the Imperial authorities. The 
opportunity for crossing the Rio Grande, for which, 



262 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

under the circumstances, there was the best excuse, 
was lost. The Imperialists' cause was strengthened, 
till about the whole of Mexico fell under their domin- 
ion. 

Sheridan was very impatient of this dilatory, drag- 
a-cat-by-the-tail slowness of Mr. Seward's method of 
dealing, which seemed to strengthen rather than 
weaken the Imperialists' control in Mexico, and deter- 
mined to make another demonstration, to scare at 
least some of the French conceit out of them. With 
this purpose he went to San Antonio, a town on the 
Rio Grande, and ostentatiously drew up Merritt's 
cavalry and the Fifth Corps for review, making thus 
an impressive show. There were many present to see 
this review, and the rumor flew like wildfire that Sheri- 
dan was about to cross the Rio Grande and invade 
Mexico. To give still greater color to this rumor, 
escorted by a regiment of cavalry he hastened to Fort 
Duncan, which is just opposite the Mexican town of 
Pierras Nagras, and there made inquiries about get- 
ting forage on the other side of the Rio Grande. At 
the same time he opened communications with Juarez, 
the President of the Mexican Republic. This seemed 
to corroborate the report that he was about to move 
his troops across the border. 

This encouraged the Mexican Republican or liberal 
leaders, and they collected an army to restore the Re- 
public. Further to encourage them, arms were left by 
Sheridan to fall conveniently into their hands. The 
Republic was about to get on its feet and stand alone. 
The alarmed Imperialists withdrew their army from 



SHERIDAN VS. LOUIS NAPOLEON 263 

about all of northern Mexico as far down as Monterey. 
Had Sheridan been allowed to continue his policy of 
bluff, the foreign invaders would no doubt have left 
Mexico. 

The French Minister in Washington complained to 
Mr. Seward that Sheridan was violating the neutrality 
that he had promised should be observed, and this let- 
ter was sent to Sheridan by the Secretary of State with 
directions to preserve that neutrality. Of course this 
put a stop to his showing further sympathy with the 
Republic of Mexico. 

These proceedings at Washington tired and dis- 
gusted Sheridan and his army. The troops, as well 
as the general, knew that large organized bodies of ex- 
Confederate troops had croosed the Rio Grande to as- 
sist the Imperialists, and that there was on foot a 
scheme by which the dissatisfied Southerners were to 
colonize Mexico, and lend their support to seat Maxi- 
milian more firmly on his throne. The Imperialists, 
to encourage this scheme of colonizing Mexico, prom- 
ised large grants of land and titles of nobility to the 
Southerners, and also began to institute a system of 
peonage, which, in effect, was equivalent to establishing 
slavery in Mexico, as another bait for the Southerners. 
Commissioners were appointed, among them Generals 
Magruder and Price, in each of the Southern States, 
to promote immigration. Sheridan informed General 
Grant of the progress of this scheme who nipped it in 
the bud by prohibiting the embarkation of any person 
from the ports of Texas or Louisiana without a per- 
mit from Sheridan's headquarters. 



264 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

Juarez, the Republican President, having mean- 
while organized a good-sized army supplied with rifles 
and munitions of war from the American side of the 
Rio Grande with the knowledge of Sheridan, soon 
were in possession of not only the whole line of the 
Rio Grande, but nearly the whole of Mexico. The 
empire of Maximilian, resting upon French bayonets, 
began to totter. 

In the distress of Maximilian, his wife, Carlotta, 
was sent to plead with Louis Napoleon for help to 
sustain him on the throne. But the French Emperor 
had already given orders for the withdrawal of his 
army from Mexico. Louis Napoleon, undoubtedly, 
would have liked to stay, but he preferred going peace- 
fully, to being driven out, as he knew he soon would 
be. As my readers all know, after the withdrawal of 
the French army Maximilian, with constancy and 
courage worthy of a better cause, stuck to his throne 
until the spring of 1867, when he was taken prisoner 
by the Mexican Republicans, and was tried and exe- 
cuted. 

It is doubtful if this result would have been accom- 
plished without the presence of Sheridan and his army 
on the Rio Grande. His mere presence and sympathy 
with the Republic had destroyed the empire instituted 
by the French despot, Louis Napoleon, who had be- 
trayed the republic of France and was anxious for the 
downfall of the great American republic. 



CHAPTER XXVI 

SHERIDAN AND RECONSTRUCTION 

In addition to his military duties along the Rio 
Grande, Sheridan found himself drawn into the politi- 
cal war which was waged over the manner in which 
states lately in rebellion should come back to their 
places in the Union. 

You will remember that the deep-lying cause of the 
war was the disagreement of opinion as to whether a 
state might, of its own will, quit the Union of States. 
After years of discussion, some of it very bitter and 
hot, the Southern states made the appeal to arms for a 
settlement of this question and in that terrible court 
were defeated. When, therefore, by the stern arbi- 
trament of war, it was decided that a state could not 
secede from the Union, it was quite natural for those 
most concerned to say that what could not be done 
had not been done and, therefore, they were back in 
the Union in their old standing, except that slavery 
was abolished. They held that the state's lately in re- 
bellion were simply restored. But those who had 
poured out blood and treasure for the preservation of 
the Union held that certain safe-guards against fu- 
ture rebellion were needed and required that the gov- 
ernment of those states should be reconstructed be- 
fore their people could be full citizens again. 

265 



266 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

This question of restoration or reconstruction, 
which could have been managed by President Lin- 
coln acceptably to both parties, was thrown into the 
greatest confusion by his death. In Texas and Louisi- 
ana there was such an outbreak of hostilities that Gen- 
eral Sheridan was compelled to interfere in the inter- 
ests of peace. 

At the time of the surrender of the Confederates in 
Texas and Louisiana, the government of the United 
States had made no plan by which the states lately in 
rebellion were to be governed. A provisional govern- 
ment, however, had been set up in Louisiana as early 
as 1864, which, though favored by Mr. Lincoln, had 
not been sanctioned by Congress. The ex-Confeder- 
ates, who had been restored to citizenship by a proc- 
lamation issued by President Johnson, soon boldly as- 
sumed control of the State. The legislature, as well 
as many of the offices of the state and city, were in 
their hands. They began to make laws discriminating 
against the freedmen by enforcing labor contracts 
which, if allowed, would have reduced them to partial 
slavery again. Meanwhile, outrages, violence, and 
even murders of the former slaves, to intimidate and 
force them to work for their former masters and to 
keep them from voting, prevailed. 

To remedy this shocking condition of affairs, those 
who had established the government of 1864 proposed 
to reassemble the convention and remodel the consti- 
tution of the State. As Congress had not sanctioned 
this provisional government of 1864, it had, of course, 
no legal status ; but Sheridan and his soldiers could not 



SHERIDAN AND RECONSTRUCTION 267 

interfere with the action of its officers until they had 
committed some overt or criminal act. A proclama- 
tion, however, to call together the convention was is- 
sued, and on the 30th of July they met in Mechanics' 
Hall in New Orleans. It was claimed that, the even- 
ing before, the friends of this convention had made 
inflammatory speeches. But this statement must be 
taken with allowance, as any talk that favored the col- 
ored people did not agree with the ex-Confederates 
and their wishes. 

After the so-called convention of July 30 was as- 
sembled, the mayor of New Orleans sent the police to 
suppress the meeting. The police, first killing several 
men on the street who were formed in procession, 
forced the doors of Mechanics' Hall and fired on the 
assembly, killing about forty men and wounding one 
hundred and sixty. This massacre of blacks and 
whites was done under pretense of keeping order, by 
a police made up of men who had formerly been in 
arms against the United States. 

Upon Sheridan's arrival he investigated the circum- 
stances of these wholesale murders, reported them to 
Grant, and placed the city under martial law. Grant 
laid this report before the President, and then sent 
Sheridan this dispatch : " Continue to enforce martial 
law so far as it may be necessary to preserve the peace ; 
and do not allow any of the civil authorities to act, if 
you deem such action dangerous." 

A military commission which investigated the cir- 
cumstances of this massacre reported, w There has 
been no occasion during our national history where a 



268 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

riot has occurred so destitute of justifiable cause, re- 
sulting in a massacre so inhuman and fiend-like, as 
that which took place at New Orleans on the 30th of 
July." 

President Johnson published a part of Sheridan's 
letter, which the latter criticised as a " garbled ver- 
sion;" thenceforth Johnson was Sheridan's enemy. 

This savage outbreak in New Orleans, and the fear 
that the ignorant and helpless freedmen would, if not 
protected, be practically enslaved again and the fruits 
of a costly war be lost, greatly strengthened the recon- 
struction policy. 

The reconstruction acts passed by Congress pro- 
vided for " the more efficient government of the rebel 
states." It divided these states into military districts, 
each district to be commanded by an officer not below 
the rank of brigadier-general, and made it the duty of 
that officer to protect the rights of all persons and 
property and to suppress insurrection, violence, and 
disorder. At the same time it gave him the power to 
organize a military commission for the suppression of 
crime or disorder. It also provided that when the 
people of these states had framed a constitution in con- 
formity with the Constitution of the United States, 
and had adoped the Amendments to the Constitution 
that had recently been made, then, with the approval 
of Congress, those states should be entitled to send 
Representatives to Congress. 

After the passage of these laws Sheridan was as- 
signed to the Fifth Military District, which embraced 
the same territory that he had had charge of since the 



SHERIDAN AND RECONSTRUCTION 269 

close of the war. In commanding this territory Sheri- 
dan laid down a rule for the government of his own 
conduct : it was non-interference with the state and 
city governments so long as their action did not con- 
flict with the laws. 

He was, however, soon obliged to interfere in muni- 
cipal matters in New Orleans. The mayor and sev- 
eral officials took upon themselves to declare the re- 
construction acts of Congress unconstitutional, and to 
ignore and refuse to obey the law. Sheridan, there- 
fore, removed them from office and appointed Edward 
W. Heath as mayor. His reasons for these removals 
were that the mayor had incited the massacre ; that tha 
attorney-general was trying to punish the victims in- 
stead of the murderers; and that the judge of the 
criminal court used his position to bring about the 
massacre, by making it appear that no one would be 
tried for the deeds done in it. 

This vigorous action of Sheridan's was the keynote 
of his administration. He issued orders for those 
who were qualified to vote under the reconstruction 
laws to register between May 1 and June 30. Adju- 
tant-General Thomas directing him in a dispatch not 
to close the registration until the 1st of August, Sheri- 
dan asked Grant if this was to be considered as a 
mandatory order coming from the President. In 
reply Grant said: " Enforce your own construction of 
the military bill until ordered to do otherwise. The 
opinion of the attorney-general has not been dis- 
tributed to the district commanders in language or 
order entitling it to the form of an order, nor can I 



2-jo BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

suppose that the President intended it to have sucK 
force." Sheridan kept open the books of registration 
until the 31st of July. 

John A. Walker was charged with shooting a negro 
in the parish of Saint John. The civil authorities, in- 
stead of arresting him, connived at his escape. There 
were several similar instances. Sheridan believed 
that it was the purpose of the ex-Confederates to 
frighten and intimidate the colored men in order to 
keep them from voting and to compel them to make 
contracts to work for their former masters. The 
trial and conviction of Walker, which he brought 
about, put a stop to this " bulldozing," as it was termed. 

The legislature had passed an act requiring a resi- 
dence qualification for the policemen of New Orleans. 
The evident purpose of this was to exclude Union sol- 
diers who had taken up their residence in New Orleans 
from being policemen. Most of the police were ex- 
Confederate soldiers. Sheridan did not object to this, 
but he did object to their preventing the freedmen from 
registering as voters and to a system of intimidation 
inaugurated by them. When Sheridan discovered the 
misuse of their office by the police, he annulled the law 
which required a five years' residence before being 
able to serve on the force. This enabled the mayor to 
organize the force anew and appoint about one-half 
of it from ex-Union soldiers. 

This put an end to intimidation of the poor ex- 
slaves. All of Sheridan's sympathies were with the 
weak and down-trodden freedmen. Their freedom had 
been given them by the nation, and he believed they 



SHERIDAN AND RECONSTRUCTION 271 

should be protected from the bitter political resent- 
ments that beset them and be given a fair chance. 

Another illustration of the way that Sheridan used 
his power as a military commander is seen when the 
legislature appropriated $4,000,000 to repair the 
levees, that were so badly broken that the waters of 
the Mississippi were doing great damage to the agri- 
cultural interests of Louisiana. This money was to 
be distributed by a commission then in existence. But 
the law which created this board would expire in the 
spring of 1867. The legislature got around this diffi- 
culty by passing a bill to continue the board. Gover- 
nor Wells kept this bill until the legislature adjourned 
and thus prevented its becoming a law; and then, 
without either law or reason, appointed a board of his 
own to distribute the money. This board the old 
commission refused to recognize. 

Sheridan, seeing that the quarrel would prevent the 
much needed work on the levees from being done, ap- 
pointed a new commission that would do the work 
and distribute the money honestly. The legislature 
was willing that this should be done, but the governor 
requested the President to revoke Sheridan's order. 
The Secretary of War directed him to make a report 
of all proceedings in the matter. As was to be ex- 
pected, Sheridan did not mince matters but told the 
truth, in substance as I have given it here, and bluntly 
added : " Governor Wells is a political trickster and a 
dishonest man. I have seen him, myself, when I came 
to this command, turn out all the Union men who had 
supported the Government and put in their stead rebel 



272 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

soldiers who had not doffed their gray uniforms. 
... I have watched him since, and his conduct is as 
sinuous as the mark left in the dust by the movement 
of a snake. I say again he is dishonest, and that dis- 
honesty is more than must be expected of me." The 
same day that he made this report, determined that he 
would not bear any longer with one who was obstruct- 
ing in every possible way the reorganization of the 
civil government of the state, he removed Governor 
Wells from office. 

The disloyal element, especially its newspapers and 
politicians, were bitterly opposed to Sheridan's acts. 
These agitators condemned everybody connected with 
the Congressional plan of reconstruction, and as the 
President and Congress were at sword's points with 
each other, the President took sides with rather than 
against those who opposed Sheridan. When, at last, 
Sheridan removed from office the controller and the 
treasurer of the cityy — who had already issued a quar- 
ter of a million of illegal certificates, — and with them 
twenty-two aldermen and other officials who had been 
parties to illegal proceedings and who had reduced 
the credit and financial affairs of New Orleans to a 
disorderly condition and were also hindering recon- 
struction, the anger of his political adversaries knew 
no bounds. 

Later Sheridan issued an order, dated August 24, 
1867, declaring the registration of voters complete 
and that no person not registered in accordance with 
law should be considered as a duly qualified voter of 
the state. Upon the promulgation of this order the 



SHERIDAN AND RECONSTRUCTION 273 

President removed General Sheridan from duty and 
his connection with reconstruction politics ceased. 

During his whole career as a military commander, 
whatever else may be said of him, Sheridan acted the 
part of an honest, brave soldier. His fault was, from 
a politician's standpoint, that he would not temporize 
with dishonest methods or men. He was glad to be 
relieved from such an uncongenial task and to be as- 
signed to a position more in keeping with a soldier's 
duties. He undoubtedly made mistakes that a more 
politic man would not have made; but, as a whole, 
history will justify his rule as commander of the Fifth 
Military District. 

In 1875, when the " White League " was so full of 
menace and danger, President Grant was induced to 
send him to New Orleans again to suppress disorder. 
His mere presence there was sufficient to cause sub- 
mission, sullen though it was. It is praise to say that 
all disloyal elements and disorderly ones hated and 
feared him. He showed here, as in all other positions 
of responsibility, that he was capable and honest, and 
time has justified his motives if not his judgment. 

From 1867 until his death Sheridan remained clear 
of political entanglements. 



CHAPTER XXVII 

CAMPAIGNING AGAINST THE INDIANS 

In September, 1867, Major-General Sheridan was 
assigned by the General-in-Chief to command the De- 
partment of Missouri. His new command was one of 
great responsibilities, involving as it did, heavy con- 
flicts with the Indians as well as the execution of a 
policy designed to prevent hindrances to the settle- 
ment of the country and the building of railroads, 
which the presence of antagonistic and strong tribes 
was creating. 

When the Civil War closed, there was not a mile 
of railroad north of Jefferson City and west of the 
Missouri River, — certainly not outside of California. 
When Sheridan was transferred to this Department, 
the Union and Pacific Railroads were nearing their 
junction in Utah, and hundreds of miles of other rail- 
roads had been put in operation. The Indians had 
become restless and dissatisfied because of the build- 
ing of the Pacific Railroad through their hunting 
grounds and the coming of settlers into eastern Colo- 
rado just after the war. The protection of these roads 
and of the construction parties at work on them, as 
well as the protection of the settlers, were a part of 
Sheridan's duties. 

At the time he took command of the Department 
274 



CAMPAIGNING AGAINST THE INDIANS 275 

there was comparative quiet there, though just previ- 
ously the Indians had murdered isolated settlers, at- 
tacked surveying and construction parties engaged in 
building the Kansas Pacific Railroad, plundered stage 
stations, and raided emigrant trains. As the general's 
health had been somewhat impaired by the climate of 
Louisiana, Sheridan took a leave of absence of several 
months to recuperate before entering upon active 
duties, leaving Colonel A. J. Smith in command of the 
Department. 

Upon his return to duty a delegation of prominent 
chiefs called on him and proposed a conference. 
Sheridan would not consent to this, as Peace Com- 
missioners had made a treaty with the Cheyennes, 
Arapahoes, Kiowas, and Comanches, at Medicine 
Lodge, in which they, in substance, agreed to relin- 
quish the country to white settlement, allow the 
peaceful construction of the Pacific Railroad, and go 
to a reservation in the Indian Territory. As Sheri- 
dan's refusal left them without hopes of obtaining any 
better terms than were already granted them, the 
young men defiantly denounced the treaty and be- 
came saucy and turbulent. Sheridan foresaw that un- 
less he could in some way soothe their irritation, they 
would be on the war-path when the buffalo returned 
to their feeding ground in the spring. 

The lives of the settlers would be endangered if 
hostilities were resumed, and therefore, to keep the 
Indians quiet, Sheridan supplied them with abundant 
food and tried to placate them by sending among 
them certain men who knew their language, had lived 



276 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

and hunted with them, and who had their confidence. 
These men were Mr. William Comstock, Mr. Abner 
Grover, and Mr. Richard Parr. They were placed 
under the charge of Lieutenant Beecher, with instruc- 
tions to make every effort to prevent hostilities and to 
keep Lieutenant Beecher posted as to conditions 
among the different tribes. 

In August Sheridan's hopes of continued tranquillity 
were rudely shattered. A party of Cheyenne Indians 
had made an attack or raid on some friendly Kaws 
who were peacefully living near Council Grove, stolen 
their horses, and robbed the houses of white settlers. 
Directly after this the Comanches and Kiowas came 
to get their annuities, and were also expecting to get 
arms and ammunition. They were refused them until 
they had made reparation for their raid upon the 
friendly Kaw Indians. 

The Indians then went to General Alfred Sully, who 
was in command of the District of Arkansas and who 
had great experience with them, and made him be- 
lieve that it was only a few bad young men that had 
committed these depredations, and that if he would 
issue arms to them, they would in future hold these 
wild young fellows in check. Sully, thinking that he 
could thus prevent hostilities, delivered the arms and 
annuities to the crafty Indians. 

The issue of these arms was a great mistake, for 
even while these Indian diplomats were persuading 
Sully, their warriors were on a raid of rapine and 
murder among the settlers of Saline Valley, about 
thirty miles from the post where General Sully was 



CAMPAIGNING AGAINST THE INDIANS 277 

stationed. Here, pretending to be indignant because 
hot coffee, to which the unsuspecting settlers had 
treated them, had been served them in tin cups, they 
threw the coffee in the faces of those who had treated 
them, made prisoners of the men, and inflicted indig- 
nities upon the women too horrid to relate. The ar- 
rival of some of these unfortunates at Fort Harker 
was the first intimation received by the military that 
hostilities had commenced. 

Leaving the Saline Valley this war-party, crossed to 
the Solomon Valley, where the people, not knowing 
that the Indians were on the war-path, treated them 
hospitably and even gave them ammunition. In return 
the Indians murdered thirteen men and two women, 
committing horrible outrages and carrying away as 
prisoners two little girls, who were never heard from 
again. 

Rumors of these murders and outrages having 
reached Lieutenant Beecher, he sent Comstock and 
Grover to a camp of Cheyenne's whose chief, Turkey 
Leg, had been a great friend of Comstock's; they had 
hunted together and lived in the same camp, and it 
was thought that Comstock would have sufficient in- 
fluence to keep them from the war-path. But they 
met with a chilly reception, and were ordered out 
of the village. Under pretense that they were sent to 
protect them, they were accompanied when they left by 
several young men. They had not gone far, however, 
when in the midst of a friendly talk two of the young 
Indians fell behind the party and fired on the whites. 
Comstock was killed at the first volley, but Grover, 



278 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

sheltering himself behind his friend's dead body, 
fought the seven Indians with his long-range rifle. 
When night came, though desperately wounded he 
reached a ravine, and got to Fort Wallace two days 
after, exhausted and frantic from the pain of his 
wounds. 

Simultaneously with these occurrences, outrages, 
murders, and pillaging began all along the upper Ar- 
kansas River and the head-waters of the Cimarron, 
and it was no longer doubtful that a general Indian 
war had begun. The leaders in this mischief were 
principally the Cheyennes and the Kiowas. Some of 
the Arapahoes remained friendly, but their young men 
were on the war-path with the hostiles. The four 
tribes could put on the war-path about six thousand 
warriors. As it would be no child's play to subdue 
these tribes, Sheridan transferred his headquarters to 
a military post known as Fort Hays, near the seat of 
trouble. 

At the time of which I write (1868) there were 
vast herds of buffalo covering these Plains, which, 
during the summer months, afforded abundant food 
for the Indians, enabling them to continue on the war- 
path without troubling themselves about subsistence. 
Sheridan, with that genius of perception for which he 
was distinguished, saw that this was the key to the 
problem of subduing the Indians, and, notwithstand- 
ing many protests of old Indian fighters, resolved on 
a winter campaign against them as the only sure way 
of bringing hostilities quickly to a close. 

The reader will see how difficult a problem he had 



CAMPAIGNING AGAINST THE INDIANS 279 

to solve, when I explain that Sheridan had only 
2600 men with which to protect emigrant trains, 
railroad construction parties, and the settlers, be- 
sides garrisoning all the posts. This left but a small 
movable column with which to operate against the 
Indians. 

It was very difficult to obtain scouts, but a few 
good ones were at last obtained. Among these was 
William F. Cody (Buffalo Bill), who is now known 
to most American boys. His first service was ren- 
dered when Sheridan wished to send important orders 
to Fort Dodge, ninety-five miles south from his head- 
quarters. It was a dangerous route. Several couriers 
had been killed, and it seemed impossible to get any 
one to carry a message. Though Cody had just been 
on a long and dangerous trip, he saddled a fresh horse 
and, halting but once on his way, rode 350 miles in 
less than sixty hours. On his return he informed 
Sheridan where the Indian villages would be likely 
to be found in winter, but thought that they 
would contain only old men and women while the war- 
riors continued their raids north of the Arkansas 
River. 

Many fights occurred between the troops and these 
marauders, but the most thrilling of these preliminary 
encounters was made by Colonel George Forsyth, 
who was one of Sheridan's aides during the Civil War. 
He had organized a party of less than fifty scouts, and 
on the 17th of September while near the Republican 
River with forty of these, seven hundred Indian war- 
riors came suddenly upon his party. With Forsyth 



280 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

was Surgeon J. H. Moore and Lieutenant Beecher. 
With the quick decision of a veteran soldier, Forsyth, 
seeing that the only chance for life was to make a de- 
fense, took refuge on a small island in the Arickaree 
River, with a channel only a foot deep on one side 
and on the other completely dry. Here they threw 
up shallow rifle-pits for defense, determined to fight 
to the death. 

The savages, confident that they could easily cap- 
ture or kill the whole party, drew up their horses in 
imposing array and formed for the attack. They were 
led by a gigantic chief called Roman Nose and were 
all of them naked and painted. With one hand on 
their bridles and the other grasping their rifles, with 
terrible war-whoops they dashed on the little band of 
whites to ride over and annihilate them with one grand 
charge. They were met with such a destructive fire 
from the well-aimed repeating rifles of Forsyth's men 
that the first charge was checked and many of the 
savages killed. Forsyth was desperately wounded at 
this first charge but still coolly continued to direct the 
defense. The Indians charged again and again with 
the same result, and with the loss of many of their 
warriors, as attested by the mourning cries of hun- 
dreds of their women and children on a near-by hill 
viewing the fight. Of the little party of defenders, 
Beecher was killed, Surgeon Moore mortally wounded. 
Forsyth three times desperately wounded, and several 
others of the scouts killed. The whole number of the 
killed and wounded was in all twenty-one out of a 
party of forty-seven. Many of the Indian warriors 



CAMPAIGNING AGAINST THE INDIANS 281 

had been killed, among them the chief, Roman Nose, 
and their medicine man. 

The hot sun made it terrible for the wounded, and 
the party of whites had little to eat except the flesh of 
their dead horses. The Indians finally gave up charg- 
ing them and, dismounting, began a siege, thinking 
to starve out their enemies. But though suffering 
from wounds and almost hopeless of escape, the sur- 
vivors kept up the defense until the Indians, despair- 
ing of capturing or destroying them, began to draw 
off. Forsyth's men managed to live four days longer, 
when a column of troops from Fort Wallace came to 
their relief; for during the first of the three days' 
fight Forsyth had sent two men (Stilwell and Trues- 
dell) through the Indian lines, and these had brought 
the much-needed relief. 

By the beginning of November Sheridan had com- 
pleted his preparations for a winter's campaign. To 
insure energetic action and to see that the different 
columns were properly conducted, Sheridan went in 
person with the main column, which had for its objec- 
tive the Indians who had fled to the head-waters of 
the Red River. This force was made up of the Nine- 
teenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry and eleven troops 
of regular cavalry commanded by the gallant General 
Custer; also five companies of infantry commanded 
by Major Page. 

In conjunction with this column two others were to 
march into the Indian Territory. One was composed 
of six troops of the Third Cavalry and two companies 
of infantry under Colonel Evans, and the other of six 



282 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

troops of the Fifth Cavalry commanded by General 
Carr. 

The different columns having been set in motion on 
the 15th of November, under circumstances that would 
have discouraged almost any one but Sheridan from 
undertaking a winter campaign, he started for Fort 
Supply to give them personal attention. On his first 
night out a blizzard blew away the tents, and the only 
shelter that Sheridan, shivering with wet and cold, 
could find for the night was under a wagon. On the 
2 1st he arrived at Fort Supply, in a snow-storm that 
had been raging for twenty-four hours. 

Generals Sully and Custer with their troops had 
arrived, but Colonel Crawford with the Kansas troops 
had not put in an appearance. Without delay, Sheri- 
dan ordered the working parties to be called in, and 
on the 23d Custer was instructed to strike a trail that 
had been discovered, which Sheridan was convinced 
was that of a war-party that had come from the 
Washita. 

In a severe snow-storm Custer started out, and en- 
camped the first night fifteen miles from his point of 
departure. The weather the next day was clear and 
cold, but the heavy wind had blown away the snow 
on the high land so that the trail could be traced. 
After getting the wagons across the Canadian River, 
the Indian scouts came in saying that they had dis- 
covered a fresh trail, which indicated that the war- 
party was returning to the villages. In the early 
morning of the 27th the scouts reported that they had 
found a large herd of ponies in a valley. Custer with 



CAMPAIGNING AGAINST THE INDIANS 283 

his officers made a reconnaissance by dismounting and 
creeping to a little elevation; by moonlight they saw 
the village of the Indians. 

Custer decided to attack at daybreak by approach- 
ing it from all sides. The plan having been explained, 
at early light the party closed in around the village, 
and then at a signal charged at a gallop on the sleep- 
ing savages. Although completely surprised, after the 
first confusion the savages rallied and fought desper- 
ately, firing from behind trees and from the river 
banks as a shelter. Finally, after their chief, Black 
Kettle, and over a hundred of his warriors had been 
killed, the entire village was captured, with fifty 
women and children. Several Indians had, however, 
escaped and informed the rest of the hostile Indians 
of what had occurred. A party that had under Major 
Elliott gone in pursuit of the escaping young war- 
riors, was killed, though their fate was not known un- 
til later. 

While Custer was burning the village and securing 
the herd of ponies, thousands of Indians had col- 
lected and it was a question what he should do. He 
shot all of the ponies, kept up a fight with the savages 
until night came, and then got back to Fort Supply. 

Although this victory was calculated to demoralize 
the Indians, hard work was yet to be done before they 
should be conquered. Crawford with his Kansas 
troops, in undertaking to reach Sheridan by a direct 
route, had lost most of his horses and men ; and though 
a few of the men finally got to Fort Supply with 
their commander they were of little use. 



284 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

On the 7th of December Sheridan, taking personal 
command, started out through the deep snow and with 
the temperature below zero towards the Wichita 
Mountains. The second day they encountered vast 
herds of buffalo, which were followed by a band of 
wolves. Antelope were so tame that they sometimes 
came into camp and were captured by the men. 

Through storms and blizzards they at last reached 
the Washita, within six miles of Custer's fight, and 
then began a search to find out what had become of 
the Elliot party. The poor fellows were found dead 
in a circle, horribly mutilated, with little piles of empty 
cartridge shells near each body, which showed they 
had made a most desperate fight. 

From here they rode down the Washita to the sites 
of the abandoned Indian villages, and at the Kiowa 
village found the body of a young white woman 
and her child, who had been taken prisoners the 
previous summer by the brutal Satanta and finally 
murdered. 

On the 12 of December Sheridan marched out from 
his comfortable camp, following a trail. Another 
snow-storm came up, which made it very difficult for 
the guides to find the way; then a fog obscured all 
landmarks; but at last, still keeping to the trail, with 
the weather below zero at times, and at others encoun- 
tering furious snow-storms, they at last came to a 
place that indicated that they were nearing some In- 
dian villages. On the 18th, after a march of a few 
miles, some Indians appeared with a white flag and 
bearing a letter from General Hazen, saying that he 



CAMPAIGNING AGAINST THE INDIANS 285 

was carrying on negotiations with the Indians and 
that all the tribes between Sheridan and Fort Cobb 
were friendly. 

The Indians at hand, as well as the Comanches and 
Kiowas, were thus placed practically under the protec- 
tion of the Indian Department of the United States, 
and Sheridan gave up his intention to attack. Sheri- 
dan told the representatives of the Kiowas that if they 
would come into Fort Cobb and give themselves 
up, he would heed the letter of General Hazen, 
which proved, afterwards, to have been obtained by 
trickery and fraud by the chiefs Satanta and Lone 
Wolf. 

After several days of delay and bad faith, Sheridan, 
by threatening to hang Lone Wolf and Satanta, pur- 
suaded their tribes to come in according to their agree- 
ment. But he had first to issue an order for their 
execution before these chiefs sent out runners with a 
message imploring their people to save their lives. 
This resulted in their coming into the post. Sheridan 
was afterwards sorry that he had not hanged these 
chiefs, for several years afterwards both were guilty 
of horrible murders and atrocities in Texas. 

All of the Comanches were now in Sheridan's hands 
but one small party, which had fled. This band, which 
was made up of desperate outcasts and very bad Indi- 
ans, was finally practically annihilated by Evans, who, 
in the cold and snow on Christmas Day came upon 
their village, captured most of the women and chil- 
dren, killed twenty-five warriors in the fight, and de- 
stroyed all their property. 



286 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

This sudden attack in midwinter caused the 
Arapahoes and Cheyennes, whose children and women 
were suffering and complaining, to enter into negotia- 
tions through their chiefs, Little Robe and Yellow 
Bear, for terms of peace. While these negotiations 
were pending, Sheridan began establishing a new mili- 
tary post not far from the base of the Wichita Moun- 
tains, so as to keep an oversight in future on the 
Kiowas and Comanches. This post he named Fort 
Sill, after his classmate who was killed at Stone River. 
Here he required all the Indians to go until they were 
settled permanently. 

There was, however, much trouble in getting the 
Cheyennes there. Finally Sheridan started Custer 
with forty picked men and with Yellow Bear and Little 
Robe for interpreters and guides, with instructions to 
give them a good thrashing or compel them to sub- 
mit. The Cheyennes could not be found, and Custer 
was compelled to return to save his party from perish- 
ing. 

In February, 1869, Sheridan had begun to make 
preparations for another expedition by Custer for the 
same purpose, and prepared to establish a new depot 
to feed the command. For the purpose of making 
these arrangements in person he returned to Fort 
Supply, where, much to his surprise, he received a dis- 
patch from General Grant ordering him to Washing- 
ton, and informing him that on the day of his inaugu- 
ration as President, he had commissioned him as Lieu- 
tenant-General of the Army of the United States. 
Upon Sheridan's arrival in Washington the President 



CAMPAIGNING AGAINST THE INDIANS 287 

desired him to go to New Orleans to take command 
there. But Sheridan did not like this, and so Grant 
appointed him to command the Division of Missouri 
in place of General Sherman, whom he had made 
General of the Army. 



CHAPTER XXVIII 

SHERIDAN VIEWS THE FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR 

Sheridan at once assumed command of his Mili- 
tary Division, with his headquarters in Chicago. In 
this city he became a social favorite, on account of his 
personal qualities as well as for the distinguished 
position he occupied. 

My young readers may suppose that because he was 
now lieutenant-general, he would have an easy time. 
But the duties of such a position required work enough 
to satisfy the ambition of any man competent to fill 
it. He had not been in the office long before he saw 
that, in order to inform himself of the needs of the 
different posts, it would be needful for him to make 
an inspection tour of all of the military posts of the 
Rocky Mountain region. So, in May, 1870, he began 
this duty, taking passage by stagecoach at Corinne 
Station for Helena, and riding about five hundred 
miles by this conveyance. 

Upon his return he found that war between Prussia 
and France had begun, and, wishing to observe the 
conflict, he obtained the necessary leave and began 
preparations at once for his journey. Before sailing 
for Europe, he visited by invitation, President Grant. 

" Which army," inquired Grant, " do you desire 
to accompany ? " 

288 



THE FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR 289 

" The German army," said Sheridan. " because I 
think it will be the successful side, and more can be 
seen there." 

This decision pleased Grant very much, for he had 
but a small opinion of Louis Napoleon. Before he left 
Grant gave him a letter commending him to all 
representatives of the United States, and introducing 
him to the representatives of other governments as one 
of the most brave and skillful soldiers of the late war. 

On the 27th of July, 1870, he sailed from New 
York, accompanied by General James Forsyth as aide- 
de-camp. In Berlin Mr. George Bancroft, the Ameri- 
can Minister, met him with a telegram from Count 
Bismarck, saying that he was expected to come to the 
headquarters of King William. The Queen also sent 
word offering him an opportunity to pay his respects ; 
but Sheridan asked to be excused from the visit, as 
important events were expected soon to take place at 
the front. He proceeded at once to Romilly, where he 
took passage in a hay-cart to the little city of Pont-a- 
Mousson. This place he found so crowded with Ger- 
man officers and men that he had trouble in finding 
lodging and food. Here Count Bismarck received him 
cordially, inquiring with some concern which side the 
people of the United States blamed for bringing on the 
war. 

It was the night before the battle of Gravelotte, and 
Sheridan expressed a desire to see the battle. So it 
was arranged that Sheridan should be on hand at four 
o'clock the next morning, to go with Bismarck to the 
field and be introduced to the King. Sheridan was on 



290 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

hand at the early hour agreed upon and rode with 
Bismarck in his wagon to Mars-la-Tour, where they 
found an aide-de-camp ready to take him to the King. 
His Majesty received him with both hands extended 
in welcome, and was very gracious and pleasant; 
though as neither spoke the language of the other the 
conversation was extremely brief, and was carried on 
through an interpreter. It ended by King William's 
inviting him to stay at his headquarters during the 
campaign. 

The place selected to see the battle was on some 
high land, which was the center of the battle-fields of 
Mars-la-Tour, a battle which had been fought the day 
before and where some of the dead still remained un- 
buried. Here he was presented to General Von 
Moltke, who spoke English fluently, and who explained 
to Sheridan the positions of the German corps and the 
movements taking place. 

The battle was opened by the German artillery all 
along the line, to which the French artillery, when the 
German infantry moved to attack responded with 
a fire so destructive that General Von Steinmartz 
ordered his cavalry to charge on the French who were 
posted along a sunken road. The charge met with a 
most deadly reception, and the Germans were slaugh- 
tered in a terrible manner. The rear ranks pushing 
the front ranks into the deep cut, an orderly retreat 
was impossible. Von Steinmartz was so much blamed 
that Sheridan thought he would be relieved from his 
command. But Sheridan saw the old veteran go with 
bowed head to the King, by whom he was kindly re- 



THE FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR 291 

ceived. Sheridan, however, thought the charge a 
very foolish piece of business. After this a Ger- 
man corps, led by General Von Moltke himself, 
charged and decided the battle with victory for the 
Germans. 

When, accompanied by Bismarck, Sheridan rejoined 
the King, he found his Majesty surrounded by a crowd 
of fugitives, to whom he was talking in such an 
emphatic way that he afterwards declared it reminded 
him of the Dutch swearing he used to hear when he 
was a boy in Ohio. 

It was not long before the French army fell back, 
leaving the Prussian army in possession of the battle- 
field. 

During the entire day Sheridan had had nothing to 
eat or drink, for the immense armies had not only 
eaten up all the food but had drunk up all the water 
in the wells. The brother of the King took him 
aside and, taking a piece of stale bread from his coat- 
tail pocket, shared it with him. 

As Sheridan was riding back alone to the village, 
he was halted by some German soldiers, who mistook 
him for a French officer. As he could speak no 
German and they could speak no English, and he did 
not dare speak French, the crisis was acute, especially 
when one of the soldiers took off Sheridan's cap and 
pronounced it French. It is doubtful if they would 
not have killed him then and there, if an officer from 
the King's headquarters had not come up and rescued 
him. There was a great laugh at headquarters over 
the incident; but the King, recognizing that it would 



292 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

have been no laughing matter if an American officer 
of his high rank had been killed, wrote him a pass to 
prevent similar mistakes in future. 

As all the buildings were occupied, it was with 
greatest difficulty that the American general found 
lodging in a loft, which was reached by a ladder, the 
first floor being occupied by wounded soldiers. The 
next morning Bismarck begged some coffee of the 
King's escort and bought two eggs. Sheridan cornered 
a sutler's wagon, which, though nearly sold out, still 
had four large bologna sausages which he bought for 
a good price. This was their breakfast, and they 
were fortunate to get one as good. 

Sheridan and Bismarck then visited the battle-field. 
The sight at the sunken way, where the German 
cavalry charged, was awful even for an experienced 
soldier like Sheridan. There were hundreds of dead 
men and horses. Going in another direction he saw 
the plain covered with the helmets of the German 
soldiers. Inside the French fort he saw that the 
terrific artillery fire, which the Germans had thought 
so destructive, had done but little injury. 

The disaster to the right wing of the French army 
had caused them to fall back to Metz. Sheridan, fol- 
lowing with Bismarck, found the roads so obstructed 
with wagons that the Count, being unable to make the 
teamsters obey his orders in any other way, jumped 
from his carriage with his pistol in hand, and drove 
them right and left, saying as he again took his seat, 
" It is very undignified, but it is the only way." This 
makes the writer think that army teamsters must be 



THE FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR 293 

alike the world over, for he has witnessed similar 
scenes in the Union army. 

Shortly after this Sheridan dined with the King. 
There were many distinguished personages present. 
Bismarck, sitting next to King William, acted as 
interpreter when the King addressed the American 
general. His inquiries were principally about Grant's 
Vicksburg campaign. 

On arriving at Commercy, whither the King had 
moved, General Sheridan found that his quarters had 
been already chosen for him and his name marked 
in chalk on the door of a house belonging to a notary, 
who was pleased that he did not have to entertain the 
German officers. In explanation I will say that an 
army in Europe does not carry its provisions with it, 
but makes the people of the country through which 
it passes furnish food and lodging to its soldiers. So 
offensive' was this practice to our forefathers that 
they made it a part of the Constitution that " No 
soldier shall, in time of peace, be quartered in any 
house without the consent of the owner; nor in time 
of war, but in a manner prescribed by law." Thus in 
a march the foreign army carry no food and are 
burdened with no trains, except their ammunition and 
bridge trains. They also have macadamized roads to 
march over and not dusty roads or oceans of deep mud 
to wallow through. 

At Clermont, Sheridan was quartered with an 
apothecary who had lived in this country, and who 
claimed Sheridan as his guest and entertained him 
with his best. Count Bismarck was not so fortunate, 



294 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

as he had only a little room with but two chairs, a 
feather bed and a table, at which Sheridan found him 
at work writing. Nothing seemed, however, to dis- 
turb or to discomfort the " Iron Chancellor." 

At Grand Pre, Sheridan again dined with King 
William. At the table much surprise was expressed 
at the blunder of the French in marching along the 
Belgian frontiers. 

As another battle seemed impending, the next morn- 
ing Sheridan went to the front. About ten o'clock the 
Germans advanced against a strong position held by 
the French, while another part of their army turned 
their right flank and compelled them to fall back. 
Then their center advanced and surprised one of the 
French divisions just as its men were eating their 
breakfast; for afterwards some of the men were seen 
dead with pieces of bread in their hands, instead of 
muskets. 

Sheridan was also present at the battle of Sedan 
and witnessed the surrender of the French Emperor. 
When he had arrived at a village called Chavanges, 
he mounted his horse and rode to a hill whence he 
could see the movements of both armies. Southeast 
of Sedan was the village of Razeilles. This place was 
attacked by the Germans and defended by the French 
with great stubbornness, as it was of much importance 
in the defense of Sedan. It yielded only after a 
a street-to-street fight, and when its houses were 
knocked to pieces. Its possession gave the German 
army an almost continuous line to the east of Sedan, 
almost to the Belgian frontiers. The French were 



THE FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR 295 

driven through Floing, and as the ground was an 
open plain, Sheridan had a good view of the battle 
that preceded the surrender. 

While the Germans were deploying for battle, he 
saw an attack made by the French cavalry. The Ger- 
mans received them with a destructive fire and com- 
pelled them to retire. The French charged again and 
again with great courage, and with a loss of hundreds 
of horses and men, but to no purpose; for the survivors 
fell back in disorder. Sheridan thought it very 
brave — but foolish. At three o'clock in the afternoon, 
firing having ceased, the Germans sent an officer with 
a dispatch demanding the surrender of the French. 

Sheridan remarked to Bismarck, " I think you will 
catch Napoleon as one of your prizes here." 

" Oh, no," said Bismarck, " he's too cautious to 
be caught in such a trap." 

But it turned out that Sheridan was right, for when 
Colonel Von Bronsart, who carried the dispatch, re- 
turned, he brought the intelligence that Louis Napoleon 
was in the town. Soon after this an officer with 
a white flag came from Sedan, bearing this message 
from the Emperor : " Not being able to die in the 
midst of my troops, there is nothing left for me but 
to place my sword in your Majesty's hands." 

Afterwards, while Sheridan was conversing with a 
German officer who had served in the Union army 
during the Civil War, there came from the city gate 
a carriage in which was seated the Emperor of the 
French and three other men. Thinking there might 
be something worth seeing, Sheridan followed the 



296 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

carriage until it halted under some trees inside the 
German lines. Bismarck came up and, saluting the 
Emperor, said something in so abrupt a manner that 
Louis Napoleon gave a start of alarm. After a 
moment's conversation Bismarck and the Emperor 
went into a little cottage near at hand, belonging to a 
weaver. After a time they came out again and were 
seated outside, where they talked for an hour or more. 
It was then that the terms for the surrender of Sedan 
were made. They were very humiliating for the 
French, who, however, were beaten and had no choice. 

After this the German army followed on to Paris 
with little opposition, and by the 14th of September 
their army was within twenty-eight miles of Paris. 
At Rheims a German soldier was wounded by be- 
ing fired upon from a window. As this place is the 
center of the champagne district, it gave the Germans 
an excuse to levy on the town for several hundred 
bottles of its wine. 

While the principal German armies were in the 
vicinity of Paris, Sheridan, accompanied by Forsyth, 
endeavored to get a good view of the French from the 
German picket line. Accompanied by a guide who 
rode ahead just far enough to escape trouble himself 
and to alarm the French, the general was saluted by 
rifle fire every time the French saw him. Afterwards, 
in attempting to get back by a shorter route, he came 
upon a German picket. The soldiers leveled their 
muskets at him and called upon him to surrender. 
He at once dismounted and reached for his pass. 
The soldiers thought he was reaching for his revolver ; 



THE FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR 297 

but as they were on the point of firing, he threw up 
his hands. The officer of the guard came up, ex- 
amined his pass, and conducted him to the command- 
ant; but it was a close call. 

On learning that the investment of Paris was about 
complete, he started for Versailles on the 22d and 
took quarters at the Hotel Reservoir, where he found 
Generals Burnside and Hazen of the United States 
army, and also several American families. 

As is now well known, the German army did not 
make any serious assault on the forts around the 
French capital, but contented themselves repulsing 
sorties made by the French, and finally starved 
Paris into surrendering. As it would be several weeks 
before Paris surrendered, Sheridan determined to 
spend the interim in seeing other places of interest 
in Europe. On the 14th of October he went to Sedan, 
and from there to Brussels, where he was dined by 
the King and Queen of Belgium and met many notable 
people. He then visited Vienna and the Hungarian 
capital, Buda-Pesth; went down the "Blue Danube" 
to Varna, and then through the Black Sea to Con- 
stantinople. Here the Grand Vizier welcomed him. 
It was a time when the Mohammedans were keeping 
a fast, from sunrise each day until sunset. The Grand 
Vizier took him in a carriage where he could see the 
Sultan on the Esplanade, when he and his little son 
rode on horseback to the mosque. Afterwards he re- 
viewed all the Turkish troops at Stamboul. He was 
delighted with the climate and was tempted to linger, 
and set out regretfully on his return journey. 



298 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

After this he stopped a few days at Athens; was 
informally received by the King and Queen; and of 
course visited the Acropolis and other points of inter- 
est. He visited Sicily, Naples, and Pompeii. At the 
latter place a special excavation was made and articles 
of the buried city presented to him. Of course, as a 
good Catholic, he visited Rome, but whether or not 
he saw the " Holy Father " we do not know. He then 
went to Florence, where he was presented to the King, 
Victor Emmanuel, whose conversation was principally 
about hunting. He said to Sheridan that he did not 
want to be King, and expressed regrets that he could 
not pass his days in hunting. He invited Sheridan to 
go to his estate to hunt deer, an invitation which he 
gladly accepted. He killed eleven deer that were 
driven before him. 

He returned to Paris in season to see the triumphal 
entry of the German army into the French capital. 
There was no disturbance as the German army moved 
down the Champs-Elysees to the Place de la Concorde. 
He found everywhere the disposition to make Louis 
Napoleon the scapegoat for the national misfortunes. 

After paying his respects to the Emperor Wil- 
liam, — for he had been so proclaimed January 18th — 
Sheridan took leave of Bismarck and General Von 
Moltke. He remained in Paris until the latter part 
of March with our Minister, E. B. Washburne, and 
was the recipient of many attentions. General For- 
syth is reported to have said, " His fame has reached 
France in advance, and its people, from his vim and 
dash, had already likened him to and placed him on 



THE FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR 299 

the same high pedestal of fame with the great 
Napoleon." 

In a letter to General Grant, written in the confi- 
dence of personal friendship, he said when speaking 
of his observations abroad : " I have been able to ob- 
serve the difference between the European battles and 
those of our own country. I have not found the dif- 
ference very great, but that difference is to the credit 
of our own country. There is nothing to be learned 
here professionally, and it is a satisfaction to know 
that such is the case. There is much, however, that 
Europeans could learn from us, — the use of rifle-pits, 
the use of cavalry, which they do not use well ; . . . . 
there are hundreds of things in which they are behind 
us." 

After the German army had withdrawn from Paris, 
Sheridan visited Ireland, Scotland, and England, and 
returned to his native land more in love with it than 
ever before. 



CHAPTER XXIX 
Sheridan's busy life in time of peace 

Returning in 1871, after a year's absence of 
travel abroad, the lieutenant-general took up his resi- 
dence in Chicago and resumed his command of the 
Military Division of Missouri. He made his home on 
Michigan Avenue and was glad to be once more with 
his Chicago friends. He was cheery and full of life 
and activity. It was impossible for him to remain 
idle; so, instead of putting the work upon his subor- 
dinates, he personally supervised the affairs of his 
division, regulating the expenditures of large sums of 
public money with careful economy and vigilantly 
overseeing the affairs of his great division. 

He was scarcely well settled down to his work, when 
the disastrous fire of Oct. 8, which nearly destroyed 
Chicago, occurred. It is said that the fire began in a 
small frame barn where an old Irish woman's cow 
kicked over a kerosene lamp by the light of which 
she was milking; and the widow O'Leary's cow will 
no doubt pass into history, in another way, with the 
famous geese that saved Rome. 

A fierce wind was blowing at the time, and al- 
though the fire department fought the flames with 
heroic exertion, and with a loss of some lives and the 
destruction of most of its apparatus, yet the fire spread 

300 



LIFE IN TIME OF PEACE 301 

from house to house and from street to street with 
appalling quickness. Nothing seemed able to stay its 
course. Great tongues of flame reached out and licked 
up granite and brick impartially, until the most densely 
populated portion of the city was a chaotic mass of 
charred and blackened ruins. All efforts to stay the 
destruction were impotent, and by the 9th all the 
northern part of the city and the business portions in 
the south division went down before the awful con- 
flagration. 

Sheridan's residence was on the south side, and it 
was midnight before he became aware of how serious 
a calamity was threatened. He was on the way to his 
headquarters, when he found his progress stopped by 
a barrier of fire. Here property owners and men of 
affairs gathered around him, asking for advice and as- 
sistance. Thus appealed to, he got together his staff 
and with clear perception and cool judgment organ- 
ized for the work of saving the city. He checked the 
flames at different points by destroying buildings, as- 
sembled what remained of the crippled fire depart- 
ment and its apparatus and set them systematically at 
work, and did all that was possible with the means at 
hand to bring the fire under control. 

The flames, however, were not the only elements to 
be feared. The people were panic-stricken and fall- 
ing into disorder, and the mayor was powerless to 
control them. Drunkenness, robbery, disorder, and 
lawlessness prevailed. Men ordinarily cool lost 
their mental balance, and did foolish or extravagant 
things, — believing idle rumors, losing confidence in 



302 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

each other, and giving way to fears that had no foun- 
dation in facts. One wealthy woman was seen to 
throw away her jewel-case, with the remark that 
the end of the world had come and that she did 
not wish to appear before her Maker with such gew- 
gaws in her hands. Men had begun to despair over 
the conditions, fearing another conflagration, or 
worse, that the criminal element would get control of 
the city. 

Recognizing, by what Sheridan had already done 
so well, a masterful commander of men, and seeing 
already the benefits of the organization he had effected, 
the representatives of a mass meeting of the leading 
citizens called on him to guard them, not only from 
the fire, but from disorder and lawlessness. The ap- 
peal was not in vain. He set at work at once to pro- 
tect what property was left and to obtain food and 
shelter for the thousands of homeless people. With 
characteristic energy and decision he summoned his 
soldiers from distant points to keep order and to 
guard persons and property. 

By the 12th of October the fire was subdued, rations 
ordered to feed the hungry thousands, and tents to 
shelter the homeless. In two days the people were 
being systematically fed and sheltered, all without 
conflicting with the state or municipal authorities. 
The citizens hailed Sheridan as their deliverer, 
and President Grant commended him with liberal 
praise. 

There are many anecdotes told of Sheridan at this 
time. A hotel that had been saved from the flames 



LIFE IN TIME OF PEACE 303 

opened for business. Complaints were made to him 
about its extravagant charges to guests. 

"What are they charging?" inquired Sheridan. 

" Six dollars a day." 

" What was the price before the fire ? " 

" Two dollars and a half." 

" All right," said Sheridan, " I will run the hotel 
myself at that price! " And he put it in charge of an 
orderly and ran it at $2.50 a day until order was fully 
established in the city. 

The city under his control was so peaceful that a 
newspaper reporter could get no startling news for a 
good story for the press and felt compelled to invent 
some in this form, " Seven incendiaries have just been 
shot for kindling fires in the city; " and the next day 
he reported, " Several hung from the lamp-posts ! " 
The next day Sheridan got a sarcastic note inquiring 
"if it was not possible to put out the flames with 
gore." 

The people were grateful to Sheridan for what he 
had done, though some politicians who were impotent 
to do anything themselves tried to belittle his efforts 
and to make capital out of his assuming command. 

In 1874 Sheridan was married to Irene M. Rucker, 
whose father was General Daniel Rucker, a retired 
quartermaster-general of the United States Army. 
Miss Rucker was born at Fort Union on the frontier, 
amidst the alarms of Indian wars, while her father 
was serving as a depot quartermaster. She was a fit- 
ting mate for the hero soldier. 

The year of his marriage the city of Chicago was 



3<M BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

again threatened with a repetition of the same kind of 
calamity as the great fire, and was again Indebted to 
him for help in saving the city from ruin and disorder 
by his prompt action and good judgment. When the 
communistic riot — so destructive in other cities — 
threatened the peace of Chicago, his action prevented 
another public misfortune. He showed in all this his 
strong characteristic of being able to do things. He 
did not allow red tape or forms to hamper him in 
great public emergencies, but cut them; thus display- 
ing great moral as well as physical courage. 

In 1872 the Grand Duke Alexis of Russia was in 
this country, and at a State dinner tendered him by 
President Grant, General Sheridan sat next to the 
Prince. In course of conversation the Grand Duke 
was roused to so great enthusiasm by Sheridan's de- 
scriptions of buffalo hunting that he resolved to ex- 
tend his tour in order to take part in a hunt. 

A special train conveyed the party to the North 
Platte, where they were met by " Buffalo Bill," who 
escorted them to a camp which had been pitched for 
the purpose with romantic surroundings of wood and 
bluff and stream, and where a near-by camp of Brule 
Indians added romance and wildness to the scene. 
The Indians, under their chief, Spotted Tail, were to 
join in the hunt for the entertainment of Prince 
Alexis. When all was ready a short ride brought the 
party near the first herd of buffalo the Grand Duke 
had ever seen. With Sheridan, Custer, and Buffalo 
Bill he made an onslaught on the herd, the other Rus- 
sians of his party first awaiting the success of their 



LIFE IN TIME OF PEACE 305 

Prince. After the hunt, it was shown that the Prince 
had a score of nine buffalo out of twenty-eight that 
had been killed by the party. 

On the Prince's expressing curiosity about the use 
of the Indian bow and arrow, Sheridan directed one 
of the Indians, called " Red Leaf," to give an exhibi- 
tion of its use by killing a buffalo in sight. Alexis 
was much pleased with his skill, and rewarded Red 
Leaf and bought his bow and quiver at a princely 
price. At the close of the hunt the Indians gave a 
war-dance, after which the chief, Spotted Tail, made 
an eloquent speech, to which Sheridan replied. 

The Grand Duke was enthusiastic over this hunt, 
and when Sheridan got intelligence of another great 
herd of buffalo, he expressed his desire to go after it. 
In the former hunt trained horses that were ac- 
customed to buffalo had been used to mount the party ; 
but in the second one cavalry horses were used, and 
these became frightened and carried their riders away 
from instead of to the game. Afterwards, another 
herd being discovered, each man singled out a buffalo 
and pursued it with success amid great excitement. 

When Alexis returned to Russia, the Emperor sent 
a letter thanking Sheridan for the reception " tendered 
the Prince in the Western States of America." 

In 1872 the Department of Texas was added to 
Sheridan's territory, making about a million and a 
half square miles within its limits, and embracing the 
reservations to which the treaty of 1869 assigned the 
hostile Indians. The Sioux numbered about forty 
thousand, and the Cheyennes, Arapahoes, Kiowas, 



3 o6 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

and Comanches about twenty thousand more. These 
Plains Indians were primitive savages, and regarded 
every effort to keep them within certain limits as a 
trespass upon their rights. They had been placed on 
reservations, where the agents were often dishonest 
and unscrupulous, and also among frontiersmen who 
preyed upon and robbed them. Sheridan endeavored 
to get laws enacted to punish lawless whites who en- 
croached upon the Indian lands and rights, as well as 
Indians who did wrong, and to establish courts at 
the agencies to enforce them. 

In the northern part of Sheridan's command, where 
the great Sioux Reservation was located, up to 1874 
there had been comparative quiet. But the encroach- 
ments of settlers made the tribes restless, and Sheri- 
dan, to prevent trouble which he foresaw in the fu- 
ture, sent General George Custer in 1875 on an ex P e ~ 
dition to locate places for new posts in the Black Hills 
and Forsyth on a similar errand to the Yellowstone. 

Upon receiving the proper information, Sheridan 
planned several large posts at strategic points, that 
would have enabled him to control the hitherto almost 
inaccessible region to which the Indians fled when 
pursued. Custer's report of mineral riches led to an 
influx of miners into the Black Hills, and this made 
the necessity for these new posts still more apparent. 
But Sheridan, with all his urging, could not get Con- 
gress to sanction their establishment until after the 
terrible massacre of General Custer and his men, of 
which we shall write in coming paragraphs. Then 
public sentiment compelled Congress to authorize 



LIFE IN TIME OF PEACE 307 

them, and Sheridan's far-seeing policy was vindicated. 

After all the efforts of the Indian Bureau had failed 
to get the Indians to settle down upon the reservations, 
the Bureau at last turned over their control to the 
War Department. 

To carry out the wishes of Congress, Sheridan 
planned two winter expeditions, — one under General 
Crook and another under General Terry; but for rea- 
sons not needful to narrate, both of these expedi- 
tions failed, and a summer campaign was resolved 
upon. 

General Crook concentrated his force, of about one 
thousand men, at Fort Fetterman. He found the In- 
dians under Chief Crazy Horse eager for battle. In 
a fight that soon occurred they took the offensive, and 
it was only after desperate fighting that the Indians 
were compelled to retreat to the Big Horn River. 
There they united their forces with the tribes under 
Chief Sitting Bull. 

Terry began operations earlier than Crook, with a 
force of forty-seven officers and nine hundred men. 
The command reached Powder River, twenty miles 
above its mouth, the first of July. On the 10th, while 
he established a depot of supplies, Crook sent Major 
Reno with six troops of the Seventh Cavalry to cross 
the river and examine Tongue River. On the 18th, 
by mistake Reno had reached the mouth of the Rose- 
bud River, where he struck a trail that indicated the 
presence of Indians and enabled Terry to locate their 
camp. 

In the execution of the plan which he formed to 



308 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

strike a concerted blow, Terry sent General Gib- 
bon up the Yellowstone, and the next day Custer with 
six hundred and fifty men pushed on and by the 25th 
was south of the Indian camp. First sending Major 
Reno with a battalion of three troops, and Captain 
Betoon a similar battalion, Custer retained five troops 
under his own control. When near the Big Horn, 
Custer sent Reno forward to charge the head of the 
Indian village. Reno found, instead of merely the 
forces of Sitting Bull, that he was confronted by the 
combined forces of Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull. 
He acted very judiciously and, instead of charging, 
got into a position in some timber that was perfect for 
defense, and from which, if he had stayed there, it is 
doubtful if the Indians could have disloged him with 
all their force. But he lost his nerve and began to 
give conflicting orders; a rush for the horses took 
place when the savages, comprehending the demor- 
alized condition of the whites, charged them and killed 
three officers and twenty-nine men. 

Custer had, meanwhile, advanced at a trot with his 
troops down the right banks of the river. The de- 
tails of what happened after this will never be known. 
He was attacked in front and rear by overwhelming 
numbers, and that was the last of the gallant Custer. 
He, and all of the men with him, were killed. Two 
days after, when his dead body and those of his com- 
mand were discovered, there were indications that he 
and his little band had made a desperate fight. By the 
side of each dead soldier there were found little piles 
of empty cartridge shells, — in some cases as many as 





5* S 



LIFE IN TIME OF PEACE 309 

thirty, — as witnesses of the desperate but vain resist- 
ance these brave men and their commander had made. 
That the Indians had lost heavily is shown by the fact 
that upon the approach of a comparatively small force, 
they abandoned the battlefield and their village also. 

When winter came Sheridan had gathered most of 
the Indians on reservations. He took away their 
arms and sold their ponies, and bought cattle for the 
Indians with the money thus obtained; for he was de- 
termined that a repetition of these horrors should not 
occur. 



CHAPTER XXX 

THE GENERAL RECEIVES FINAL MARCHING ORDERS 

Sheridan still looked as he did during the Civil 
War — every inch a soldier. His face, head, and car- 
riage expressed unmistakable nervous force and vigor. 
He looked like a ruler of men, and had that sense of 
power which great responsibility gives. Yet his voice 
was soft and his manner so modest, and there was so 
little of assertion in his ordinary ways, that those 
who met him casually could scarcely believe that he 
was the man who commanded at Cedar Creek and at 
Fire Forks, and electrified the nation with brilliant 
victories. 

He was a tremendous worker and took but little 
recreation, but when he did seek relief from labor a 
favorite method was in angling. It was said that he 
could fish all day with patience and enjoyment with- 
out getting a bite. At one time while out with a party 
of anglers, and while busy with rod and line, he was 
accosted by an old farmer, who said : " I understand 
that General Sheridan and a party are around here 
somewhere fishing. I don't care about the others, 
but I should like to see General Sheridan." 

" That's easy," said Sheridan, quietly, " I am the 
man." 

" You ! " exclaimed the farmer, in contemptuous 
310 



FINAL MARCHING ORDERS 311 

tones. " It isn't likely that a little fellow like you, 
with that low voice, could command a big army like 
Sheridan can ! " 

In December, 1874, President Grant ordered Sheri- 
dan to New Orleans, where there was again trouble. 
A secret military combination known as the " White 
League " was endeavoring to overthrow the legal gov- 
ernment of Louisiana by violent methods. Sheridan 
had no liking for such duties, but he unflinchingly pre- 
served order, insured the peaceful assembling of the 
legislature, and, holding the White League in check 
with a firm hand, taught them that they could not 
murder and intimidate the freedmen with impunity. 

Again, just after the presidential election in No- 
vember, when Rutherford B. Hayes and Samuel J. 
Tilden were presidential candidates, Grant required 
Sheridan to take command of military affairs in Loui- 
siana, to prevent threatened fraud and violence by 
what was called the " shot-gun policy." There was, 
at first, great excitement over his coming. He an- 
nounced that he was there only to protect the regular 
authorities in the discharge of their duties and not to 
take part in canvassing the returns. By his presence 
in New Orleans the conspiracy of the White League 
to give the state to Tilden as President and to Nichols 
as Governor, by fraud and violence, was defeated and 
the White League's attempt to usurp the government 
failed once more. 

As I have said elsewhere, Congress had authorized 
the construction of the military posts recommended by 
Sheridan to protect the settlers and restrain the In- 



3 i2 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

dians. For the purpose of informing himself about 
these posts, during the summer of 1877 he visited 
the Northwest and made a personal reconnaissance 
through the Big Horn Mountains. But while attend- 
ing to. these duties he received a pressing order from 
President Hayes to proceed to Chicago to take charge 
of the troops there and suppress riots growing out of 
the labor troubles. The first day of his arrival in Chi- 
cago the troubles ceased. The people, without regard 
to party, applauded his course. 

Sheridan had thoroughly studied the Indian ques- 
tion, and believed that much of this trouble might 
have been prevented if their affairs had been honestly 
administered. He interceded with the Government 
to obtain for them more honest treatment. The Sec- 
retary of the Interior denied that injustice had been 
done the Indians and demanded evidence of mis- 
management of the affairs by his Department. Sheri- 
dan in reply overwhelmed him with detailed reports 
from his own bureau covering a period of years. 

This controversy and Sheridan's intimate knowl- 
edge of the subject worked to the advantage of the 
Indians, by exciting the interest of prominent men in 
Congress and ultimately bringing about many reforms, 
most of which were suggested by Sheridan. 

The Northern Cheyennes, against the protest of 
Sheridan who knew the affection of the Indians for 
their own territory, were sent to the reservation of the 
Southern Cheyennes. The Northern Indians de- 
manded to be returned to the land of their birth, and, 
this demand, being unheeded, they fled across the Ar- 



FINAL MARCHING ORDERS 313 

kansas River. The troops pursued, and thus oc- 
curred another small war, which might have been 
avoided by following Sheridan's advice. 

Sheridan made himself master of everything he 
touched. His report of his reconnaissance through 
the Big Horn Mountains and the Northwest attracted 
much attention, and was recognized as very valuable. 
He made several of these expeditions, the reports of 
which greatly interested President Arthur and other 
officials. On his last tour he was accompanied by 
President Arthur, Robert T. Lincoln, Secretary of 
War, and several other state and national officials. 

In 1883, when at his own request General Sherman 
was relieved from the command of the army of the 
United States and placed upon the retired list, Presi- 
dent Arthur summoned Sheridan to Washington to 
assume the duties of commanding general. He left 
Chicago to take up this new work with great regret; 
for it obliged him to give up his agreeable surround- 
ings and to sunder ties of friendship. The citizens of 
Chicago were loath to part with him, and at his leav- 
ing a dinner was tendered him by the Commercial 
Club. In a notable speech a prominent member of the 
club expressed the appreciation of the people of 
Chicago for Sheridan's great services, in these words : 
" Chicago can never forget General Sheridan ! When 
this city was in flames, when men's hearts failed them 
and ruin and desolation stared us in the face, all eyes 
were turned to him whom we honor here this evening ; 
. . . when every moment was precious, without wait- 
ing to. consult the authorities at Washington he or- 



314 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

dered troops and rations . . . and thereby averted 
riot and bloodshed and helped many thousands of our 
people to survive the severe trials of the time." 

During the following year there was comparatively 
little for the army to do, yet Sheridan was incessantly 
active. He studied the needs of the army and, look- 
ing to its future usefulness, recommended the build- 
ing of comfortable barracks near large railroad cen- 
ters and great cities. He also gave attention to per- 
fecting a general system of coast fortifications. For 
though, like all great soldiers, he did not believe in re- 
sorting to war for redressing wrongs until all other 
means failed, he realized, as no mere theoretical peace 
advocate can, that it is not strength but weakness that 
provokes attack from other nations. He therefore 
advocated that this country should keep in the front 
ranks with other nations in preparation for war as the 
best means of preserving peace. He was a fervent 
advocate of arbitration for the settlement of national 
disputes. In almost the last speech he ever made, 
which was at the Centennial of the Constitution at 
Philadelphia, he impressively said : " There is one 
thing we should appreciate, and that is that the im- 
provement in guns and in the material of war, in 
dynamite and other explosives, will bring us to a 
period when war will eliminate itself . . . and we 
shall have to resort to something else. Now what 
will that something be ? It will be arbitration. If any 
one here could live until the next Centennial, he would 
find that arbitration rules the world." 

When Grover Cleveland was President, Sheridan's 




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FINAL MARCHING ORDERS 315 

relations with him were extremely cordial. The Presi- 
dent admired the great soldier, though they belonged 
to different political parties, and though Sheridan took 
no part in politics unless forced to do so in obedience 
to the orders of his superiors. Mr. Cleveland asked 
and accepted his advice in all matters connected with 
the control of the Indians and in the appointment of 
military officers. 

In 1884 the President requested his assistance in 
settling the disturbances on the reservations of the 
Cheyennes and Arapahoes caused by the Indian Bu- 
reau permitting the cattlemen and others to lease land 
belonging to the Indians. The boundaries in these 
leases were often imaginary, or at least poorly de- 
fined, and this led to trouble. When the misunder- 
standing between the cattlemen and Indians became 
so acute as to threaten the peace, Sheridan recom- 
mended that the leases be annulled as the best means 
of preventing a disturbance. Nothwithstanding the 
protests of prominent capitalists and cattle companies 
of the East, President Cleveland took his advice, with 
the most salutary results. 

This just action prevented further disquiet among 
those Indians, and the only section where there were 
now disturbances was in Arizona. Here the Apaches 
and Chirichue Indians had been placed upon reser- 
vations, but a disagreement of the officials of two gov- 
ernment departments made the Indians lose confi- 
dence in both of them. While the older men remained 
on their reservations, the young warriors went on the 
war-path. The troops did not have good success in 



316 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

conquering them. Sheridan, however, saw that the 
trouble was that the Indians on the reservations har- 
bored the young braves, and often hid them when they 
were hunted for. He therefore recommended that the 
Indians be removed to prevent this. Then, after a 
long talk and longer delays, Geronimo and his braves 
agreed to surrender and were coming into the fort 
when, hearing rumors that they were to be punished, 
they took alarm and fled to the mountains. Sheridan 
then put General Miles in command who soon brought 
the unruly Indians of Arizona under control. 

In the very midst of his usefulness and activities, 
and apparently in the prime of his mental and physical 
strength, General Sheridan was made aware that he 
must soon answer a command which all, however use- 
ful or powerful, have to obey. He was informed by 
his physician, in November, 1887, of the fatal nature 
of a trouble with which he was afflicted. His life de- 
pended upon physical and mental rest, for he had 
heart disease. He had never been very sick in all his 
life of intense effort, his strength had not failed him, 
and so he still continued to work till the last. 

In May, 1888, however, shortly after he had been 
on an inspection tour in the West, a severe attack 
prostrated him. He was so solicitous that his old 
mother, who was sick at the time, should not be 
alarmed, that the news was kept from the public for 
a time. In two or three weeks he had another attack, 
so severe that he was kept alive only by resorting to 
extraordinary remedies. During this sickness Con- 
gress revived in his favor the grade of general, which 



FINAL MARCHING ORDERS 317 

had lapsed with the retirement of General Sherman. 
President Cleveland at once approved the Act and 
sent him' his commission as General of the Army, a 
position that had before been held only by Grant and 
Sherman. 

This act of President Cleveland gratified the dying 
hero so much that for the moment his disease seemed 
abated and his friends hoped against hope for his re- 
covery. All through his illness his courage and good 
nature were wonderful. After one of his attacks, 
when it seemed as if he would never revive, he would 
say to his doctor, " I almost got away from you that 
time, doctor ! " 

The hot weather was hard for him to bear, and so 
he was removed, the last of June, to his summer cot- 
tage at Nonquit, on Buzzard's Bay, Massachusetts. 
Here by the sea, which seemed to be sobbing for the 
dying hero, the great patriot soldier, who had done so 
much to redeem the country that he loved, fell asleep, 
August 5, 1888, as quietly as an infant in its mother's 
arms. His last march had been made and " Little 
Phil," as his soldiers lovingly called him, and name 
him still, had moved into line with comrades who had 
preceded him on the march of eternity, in obedience 
to the orders of the Great Commander of us all. 

If Ireland was ever a debtor to this country for vin- 
dicating the manhood of her exiled children, this son 
of an Irish immigrant, by the priceless services he 
rendered to this dear land that he loved, had paid it all 
and more. 



3i8 BOYS' LIFE OF SHERIDAN 

His memory will ever carry a precious lesson ol 
patriotism and valor to American youth, and his career 
will act as an incentive to all who labor upward in life 
under difficulties. Reared in an obscure village, born 
of poor and laboring people, with no other help than 
a military education, he raised himself, by devotion 
to duty and by hard work in preparation for battle, 
from grade to grade, each of his promotions, except 
the last, dating from a great victory that he had won 
or been instrumental in winning. Finally he became 
the head of our army and one of the foremost and 
most brilliant soldiers of the world. He was enthusi- 
astically loyal to his country in her hour of need, and 
his love for her was as unfeigned as it was devoted 
and ardent. He leaves to American youth a forceful 
example of a patriotic American soldier, worthy of 
their imitation and loving reverence. 

It was by his own desire that General Sheridan 
was buried at Arlington on the banks of the Poto- 
mac, among the soldiers whom he loved and who 
loved him; and in this wish was mirrored the spirit 
of that democracy of which he was a strong and 
simple product. 



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